Research

  • Effects of soil physical conditions on root growth. My interest is in the physical stresses experienced by roots growing in soil, with a particular focus on the effects of soil strength (mechanical impedance) and structure.
  • New methods of measuring and screening root systems, including electrical capacitance.
  • Border cell production by roots and their physical and biological roles in the rhizosphere.
  • Bioengineering slopes with root reinforcement. We are studying how roots mechanically support soil slopes. We are trying to unravel how root length density and orientation, root branching, and root strength contribute to soil reinforcement.
  • In-vivo imaging and analysis of root cell expansion. This work aims to develop powerful methods to analyze root growth responses to environmental perturbations. Confocal microscopy and computer vision techniques are being developed to track the growth of living root cells.

Publications

The following Publications have not yet been migrated to the James Hutton Institute's Pure service and relate to the research outputs from the two legacy organisations: The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute and The Scottish Crop Research Institute.

Journals

Books / chapters

  • Bengough, A.G. (2010) Root responses to soil physical limitations., In: Glinski, J., Horabik, J. & Lipiec, J. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Agrophysics, 709-712.
  • White, P.J.; Bengough, A.G.; Bingham, I.J.; George, T.S.; Karley, A.J.; Valentine, T.A. (2009) Induced mutations affecting root architecture and mineral acquisition in barley., In: Shu, Q.Y. (ed.). Induced Plant Mutations in the Genomics Era. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, Rome, Italy, pp381-384
  • Hinsinger, P.; Bengough, A.G.; Vetterlein, D.; Young, I.M. (2009) Rhizosphere: biophysics, biogeochemistry and ecological relevance., In: Dessaux, Y., Hinsinger, P. & Lemancean, P. (eds.). Rhizosphere, Achievement and Challenges. Springer Verlag, 117-152.
  • Hamza, O.; Bengough, A.G.; Bransby, M.F.; Davies, M.C.R.; Halpin, C.; Hallett, P.D. (2007) Novel biomechanical analysis of plant roots., In: Stokes, A., Spanos, I., Norris, J.E. & Cammeraat, E. (eds.). Eco- and Ground Bio-Engineering: The Use of Vegetation to Improve Slope Stability. Springer, Dordrecht, 213-221. Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences, 103, pp13-20.
  • Hamza, O.; Bengough, A.G.; Bransby, F.; Davies, M.C.R.; Hallett, P.D. (2007) Mechanics of root-pullout from soil: a novel image and stress analysis procedure., In: Stokes, A., Spanos, I., Norris, J.E. & Cammeraat, E. (eds.). Eco- and Ground Bio-Engineering: The Use of Vegetation to Improve Slope Stability. Springer, Dordrecht, 213-221. Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences, 103, pp213-221.
  • Feeney, D.S.; Bengough, A.G.; Hallett, P.D.; Rodger, S.; White, N.; Young, I.M. (2006) Assessing the impact of biological exudates associated with soil water repellency., In: Soil Management for Sustainability (eds. R. Horn, H. Fleige, S. Peth, and X. Peng). Catena Verlag, Reiskrichen, Germany. Advances in Geoecology, 38, pp475-483.
  • Bengough, A.G.; Campbell, D.J.; O’Sullivan, M.F. (2001) Penetrometer techniques in relation to soil compaction and root growth., In: Soil Analysis: Physical Methods (eds. K.A. Smith and C.E. Mullins). Marcel Dekker Inc., New York, pp377-403.
  • Noordwijk, M.; Brouwer, G.; Meijboom, F.; Oliveira, C.M.G.; Bengough, A.G. (2000) Trench profile techniques and core break methods., In: Root Research: A Handbook of Methods (eds. Smit, A.L.; Bengough, A.G.; Engels, C.; Van Noordwijk, M.). Springer Verlag, pp211-234
  • Bengough, A.G.; Castrignano, A.; Pages, L.; Van Noordwijk, M. (2000) Sampling strategies, scaling and statistics., In: Root Research: A Handbook of Methods (eds. Smit, A.L.; Bengough, A.G.; Engels, C.; Van Noordwijk, M.). Springer Verlag, pp147-174
  • Smit, A.L.; Bengough, A.G.; Engels, C.; Van Noordwijk, M.; Pellerin, S.; van de Geijn, S. (2000) Root Research: A Handbook of Methods., Springer Verlag, Heidleberg 587pp.

Technical / contract reports

  • Bengough, A.G.; Hallett, P.D.; Loades, K.W.; McKenzie, B.M.; Wheatley, R.E. (2011) Green engineering for sustainable environmental solutions., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2010, pp12-13.
  • Valentine, T.A.; Bengough, A.G.; Hallett, P.D.; McKenzie, B.M. (2010) Root traits for a changing physical environment., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2009, pp13-14.
  • Bengough, A.G.; Hallett, P.D.; McKenzie, B.M.; Valentine, T.A.; Wuyts, N. (2006) Dynamics of root-soil systems., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2006, pp40-41.
  • Bengough, A.G.; Bransby, M.F.; Davies, M.C.R.; Hallett, P.D.; Wilson, A. (2005) Monitoring of vegetated rail embankment slopes. Part 1 – Desk Study., Commissioned Report for Network Rail.
  • Bengough, A.G.; Barlow, P.W.; Cooke, D.E.L.; Griffiths, B.S.; Humphris, S.N.; Iijima, M.; Killham, K.; Rodger, S.; Stubbs, V.; Valentine, T.A.; Young, I.M. (2004) Root border cells in plant-soil interactions., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2003/2004, 160-161.
  • Newton, A.C.; Bengough, A.G. ;Begg, G.S.; Swanston, J.S.; Hawes, C. (2003) The role and importance of canopy heterogeneity., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2002/2003, pp125-127.
  • Forster, B.P.; Bengough, A.G.; Ellis, R.P.; Thomas, W.T.B.; Clark, S.; Gordon, D.C.; El-Meniae, R.; Keith, R.; Waugh, R.; Hedley, P.E.; Daniell, T.J. (2002) Genomics of the root-soil interface., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2001/2002, pp153-154.
  • Young, I.M.; Bengough, A.G.; Chessell, J.M.; Crawford, J.W.; Deeks, L.; Zhang, X. (1999) Environmental Flows., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 1998/99, pp162-164.
  • Bengough, A.G.; Croser, C.; Kirby, J.M.; Young, I.M.; Pritchard, J.; McKenzie, B.M. (1998) Physics and physiology of root growth in soil., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 1997/98, pp134-135.

Conference papers

  • Dietrich, R.C.; Bengough, A.G.; Jones, H.G.; White, P.J. (2011) Can the size of a root system be estimated by its electrical capacitance?, 6th International Symposium on Root Development: Adventitious, Lateral and Primar Roots, Quebec, Canada, 7-11 August 2011.
  • Troldborg, M.; Hough, R.L.; Aalders, I.; Towers, W.; Hallett, P.D.; Bengough, G.; McKenzie, B.M.; Ball, B. (2011) Quantification of soil compaction risk using Bayesian belief networks., Pedometrics 2011 – Innovations in Pedometrics (eds. O. Jaksik, A. Klement and L. Boruvka). Book of abstracts. Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, 30 August – 3 September 2011. ISBN:978-80-213-2195-3.
  • Schmidt, S.; Gregory, P.J.; Bengough, A.G.; Grinev, D.V.; Young, I.M. (2009) New methods for examining the effects of matric potential and root-soil contact on crop root growth and function., International Symposium on Root Research and Applications (RootRAP), Boku, Vienna, Austria, 2-4 September 2009. 015-6.
  • Bingham, I.J.; Rees, R.M.; Bengough, A.G. (2009) Influence of soil compaction on the dynamics of root growth and mortality in spring barley., 7th International Symposium of the Society for Root Research: Root Research and Applications, Vienna, Austria, 2-4 September 2009.
  • Valentine, T.A.; Binnie, K.; Barnett, C.M.; McKenzie, B.M.; Bengough, A.G. (2009) Root responses to soil physical constraints: Quantitative gene expression analysis., 7th International Symposium of the Society for Root Research: Root Research and Applications, Vienna, Austria, 2-4 September 2009.
  • Hallett, P.D.; Loades, K.W.; Mickovski, S.B.; Bengough, A.G.; Bransby, M.F.; Davies, M.C.R.; Sonnenberg, R. (2009) An assessment of models that predict soil reinforcement by plant roots., European Geosciences Union, Vienna, Austria, 18-22 April 2009.
  • McKenzie, B.M.; Valentine, T.A.; Bengough, A.G.; Krol, M. (2009) Root plasticity to water and its relevance for drought tolerance., 7th International Symposium of the Society for Root Research: Root Research and Applications, Vienna, Austria, 2-4 September 2009.
  • Mickovski, S.B.; Hallett, P.D.; Bengough, A.G.; Bransby, M.F.; Davies, M.C.R.; Sonnenberg, R. (2008) The effect of willow roots on the shear strength of soil., 5th International Congress of the European Society for Soil Conservation “Soils changing in a changing World: the soils of tomorrow”, Palermo, Italy, 25-30 June 2007. Catena Verlag; Reiskirchen, Germany, pp247-262. ISBN: 978-3-923381-56-2
  • Hallett, P.D.; Bengough, A.G.; Bransby, M.F.; Davies, M.C.R.; Loades, K.W.; Mickovski, S.B.; Sonnenberg, R. (2008) Ecoengineering soil by reinforcement with plant roots., Eurosoil 2008, Vienna, Austria, 25-29 August 2008.
  • McKenzie, B.M.; Krol, M.; Binnie, K.; Bengough, A.G.; Hallett, P.D.; Valentine, T.A.; Lilly, A. (2008) Putting together measures of soil physical quality., Eurosoil 2008, Vienna, Austria, 25-29 August 2008.
  • Valentine, T.A.; Karley, A.J.; Hallett, P.D.; McKenzie, B.M.; Bengough, A.G. (2007) Genetic variation and interactions of root traits involved in plant:soil physical interactions., Rhizosphere 2, Montpellier, France, 26-31 August 2007.
  • Wuyts, N.; Roberts, T.J.; Bengough, A.G.; Bransby, M.F.; McKenna, S.J.; Valentine, T.A. (2007) New tools for motion analysis of time-lapse confocal laser scanning microscopy images to explore the dynamics of Arabidopsis root growth., Rhizosphere 2, Montpellier, France, 26-31 August 2007.
  • Sonnenberg, R.; Bransby, M.F.; Davies, M.C.R.; Hallett, P.D.; Bengough, A.G.; Mickovski, S.B.; Hudacsek, P. (2007) Centrifuge modelling of slope reinforcement by vegetation., 14th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Madrid, Spain, 24-27 September 2007.
  • Mickovski, S.B.; Sonnenberg, R.; Bransby, M.F.; Davies, M.C.R.; Lauder, K.; Bengough, A.G.; Hallett, P.D. (2007) Shear reinforcement of soil by vegetation., 14th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Madrid, Spain, 24-27 September 2007.
  • Bengough, A.G.; Roberts, T.J.; Wuyts, N.; Hans, J.; McKenna, S.J.; Valentine, T.A.; Bransby, M.F.; Dupuy, L.; Haseloff, J. (2007) Computer visualisation and modelling of plant morphogenesis: Motion analysis of time-lapse confocal microscopy images., BBSRC Joint Bioinformatics and e-Science, Proteomics and Cell Function Grantholders Workshop, Cheshire, 8-10 January 2007.
  • Roberts, T.J.; McKenna, S.J.; Wuyts, N.; Valentine, T.A.; Bengough, A.G. (2007) Performance of low-level motion estimation methods for confocal microscopy of plant cells in vivo., Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Workshop on Applications of Computer Vision, Austin, Texas, 21-22 February 2007.
  • Bengough, A.G.; Hallett, P.D.; Bransby, M.F.; Davies, M.C.R.; Mickovski, S.; Sonnenberg, R. (2007) Mechanical stabilisation of slopes by plant root systems., K-US Workshop on Bio-Soil Interactions and Engineering, MIT Boston, 1-4 April 2007.
  • Feeney, D.S.; Bengough, A.G.; Hallett, P.D.; Rodger, S.; White, N.A.; Young, I.M. (2006) Assessing the impact of biological exudates associated with water repellency., ISTRO-2006, International Soil Tillage Research Organization Conference, Kiel, Germany, 23 August – 3 September 2006.
  • Hallett, P.D.; Feeney, D.S.; Rodger, S.; Bengough, A.G.; Gordon, D.C.; White, N.A.; Young, I.M. (2006) Impacts of roots and microbes on microscale hydrology., Biohydrology 2006 International Conference, Prague, Czech Republic, 20-22 September 2006.
  • Hallett, P.D.; Newton, A.C.; Bengough, A.G.; Binnie, K.; Gordon, D.C.; Guy, D.C.; McKenzie, B.M.; Valentine, T.A. (2006) Do mixed cultivars outperform monocultures under a range of soil tillage practices?., ISTRO-2006, International Soil Tillage Research Organization Conference, Kiel, Germany, 23 August – 3 September 2006.
  • Walker, D.M.; Binnie, K.; Bengough, A.G.; Hallett, P.D.; Valentine, T.A.; McKenzie, B.M. (2006) A stochastic process model helps link root growth and least limiting water range., ISTRO-2006, International Soil Tillage Research Organization Conference, Kiel, Germany, 23 August – 3 September 2006.
  • Roberts, T.J.; McKenna, S.J.; Hans, J.; Valentine, T.A.; Bengough, A.G. (2006) Part-based multiframe registration for estimation of the growth of cellular networks in plant roots., 18th International Conference on Pattern Recognition, Hong Kong, 20-24 August 2006.
  • Bransby, M.F.; Davies, M.C.R.; Mickovski, S.B.; Sonnenberg, R.; Bengough, A.G.; Hallett, P.D. (2006) Stabilisation of slopes by vegetation reinforcement., Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ICPMG 2006), Hong Kong, Peoples Republic of China, 4-6 August 2006. Volume 1, pp317-323.
  • Valentine, T.A.; Binnie, K.; Hans, J.; McKenzie, B.M.; Bengough, A.G. (2006) Root responses to soil physical conditions., UMPIRE Meeting, Prague, April 2006.
  • Valentine, T.A.; Binnie, K.; Bengough, A.G. (2005) Role of border cells in root growth and rhizosphere interactions., Society for Experimental Biology – Plant Frontier Meeting, Sheffield, 21-23 March 2005.
  • Hans, J.; Bengough, A.G.; Bransby, F.; McKenna, S.; Roberts, T.J.; Valentine, T.A. (2005) Computer visualisation of root morphogenesis: Optical flow analysis of time-lapse confocal microscopy images., Scottish Root Group Meeting, SCRI, Dundee, November 2005.
  • Valentine, T.A.; Bengough, A.G.; Bransby, F.; Dupuy, L.; Hans, J.; Haseloff, J.; McKenna, S.; Roberts, T.J. (2005) Computer visualisation and modelling of plant morphogenesis: Optical flow analysis of time-lapse confocal microscopy images., BBSRC/SCRI Bioinformatics and Escience Workshop, Manchester, 18-19 October 2005.
  • Roberts, T.J.; Bengough, A.G.; Bransby, F.; Dupuy, L.; Hans, J.; Haseloff, J.; McKenna, S.; Valentine, T.A. (2005) Computer visualisation and modelling of plant morphogenesis: in-vivo segmentation and tracking of cells using confocal microscopy., BBSRC/SCRI Bioinformatics and Escience Workshop, Manchester, 18-19 October 2005.
  • Bengough, A.G. (2005) Physics and chemistry of the soil-root interface: where next?., Proceedings of the International Congress Rhizosphere 2004, Munich, 12-17 September 2004.
  • Gordon, D.C.; Bengough, A.G.; Clark, S.; Al-Menaie, H.; Thomas, W.T.B.; Forster, B.P. (2005) A phenotypic screen for genetic analysis of barley seedling root traits., Aspects of Applied Biology 73, 81-84.

Conference posters / abstracts

  • Valentine, T.A.; Karley, A.J.; Squire, G.R.; Hawes, C.; Hallett, P.D.; Bengough, A.G. (2011) Soil physical indicators: matching root traits to soil physical constraints., Rhizosphere 3 International Conference, Perth, Australia, 25-30 September 2011. (Poster)
  • Dietrich, R.; Bengough, A.G.; Jones, H.G.; White, P.J. (2011) Can root system size be estimated from root electrical capacitance?, Annual Main Meeting of Society for Experimental Biology, Glasgow, 1-4 July 2011. (Poster)
  • Dietrich, R.; Bengough, A.G.; Jones, H.G.; White, P.J. (2011) Can the size of a root be estimated by its electrical capacitence?, Association of Applied Biologists – Agricultural Ecology Research: It’s Role in Delivering Sustainable Farm Systems, Dundee, 15-16 June 2011 (Poster).
  • Bengough, A.G.; White, P.J. (2011) Plant responses to below-ground stresses., Journal of Experimental Botany, 62, Article No. e1.
  • Schmidt, S.; Gregory, P.J.; Bengough, A.G.; Grinev, D.V.; Young, I.M. (2010) Visualising and quantifying rhizosphere processes: Root-soil contact and water uptake., 19th World Congress of Soil Science, Brisbane, Australia, 1-6 August 2010 (Poster).
  • Dietrich, R.; White, P.J.; Jones, H.G.; Bengough, A.G. (2010) Can root system size be estimated from root electrical capacitance?., SEB Annual Main Meeting 2010, Prague, Czech Republic, 30 June-3 July 2010 (Poster).
  • Newton, A.C.; Bengough, A.G.; Guy, D.C.; McKenzie, B.M.; Hallett, P.D. (2010) Effects on yield and disease of interactions between barley culitvars and with soil tillage treatments., 9th Conference of the European Foundation for Plant Pathology, Evora, Portugal, 15-18 November 2010 (Abstract).
  • Valentine, T.A.; Binnie, K.; Squire, G.R.; Hawes, C.; Hallett, P.D.; Bengough, A.G. (2010) Quantitative analysis of root response to multiple physical constraints: effects of soil pore structure., XVII Congress of the Federation of European Societies of Plant Biology (FESPB), Valencia, Spain, 4-9 July 2010. (Poster)
  • Bengough, A.G.; Valentine, T.A.; Bingham, I.J.; McKenzie, B.M. (2009) Scaling root growth responses from seedlings to field., Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology, 153A(2) , S222-S222. Abstracts of the Annual Main Meeting of the Society of Experimental Biology, 28 June – 1 July, Glasgow, UK.
  • Gill, A.S.; Bengough, A.G.; Grinev, D.V.; Dupuy, L. (2009) Imaging the 3D kinematics of circummutation in maize roots., Society for Experimental Biology Annual Main Meeting, Glasgow, 28 June – 1 July 2009 (Poster).
  • Bengough, A.G.; Valentine, T.A.; McKenzie, B.M.; Hallett, P.D.; Dietrich, R.; White, P.J.; Jones, H.G. (2009) Physical limitations to root growth: screening, scaling and reality., 7th International Symposium of the Society for Root Research: Root Research and Applications, Vienna, Austria, 2-4 September 2009. (Abstract).
  • Valentine, T.A.; Wuyts, N.; Roberts, T.J.; Du, C.J.; McKenna, S.J.; Bransby, M.F.; Bengough, A.G. (2009) Plant Vis: A new software tool for analysis of root growth dynamics., 7th International Symposium of the Society for Root Research: Root Research and Applications, Vienna, Austria, 2-4 September 2009 (Abstract).
  • Valentine, T.A.; Wuyts, N.; Roberts, T.J.; Du, C.J.; Bransby, M.F.; McKenna, S.J.; Bengough, A.G. (2008) PlantVis: Quantitative motion analysis of time-lapse confocal laser scanning microscopy images: application to plant root growth., SEB Plant Symposium/GARNet 2008, University of Nottingham, 8-10 September 2008 (Poster).
  • Valentine, T.A.; Wuyts, N.; Roberts, T.J.; Du, C.J.; Bransby, M.F.; McKenna, S.J.; Bengough, A.G. (2008) PlantVis: Exploring the dynamics of Arabidopsis root growth using motion analysis of time-lapse confocal laser scanning microscopy images., SEB Plant Symposium/GARNet 2008, University of Nottingham, 8-10 September 2008.
  • White, P.J.; Bengough, A.G.; Bingham, I.J.; George, T.S.; Karley, A.J.; Valentine, T.A. (2008) Induced mutations affecting root architecture and mineral acquisition in barley., Joint FAO/IAEA International Symposium on Induced Mutations in Plants, Vienna, Austria, 12-15 August 2008, 143.
  • Mickovski, S.B.; Bengough, A.G.; Bransby, M.F.; Davies, M.C.R.; Hallett, P.D.; Sonnenberg, R. (2007) Fundamental investigations on shear reinforcement of soil by vegetation., European Geosciences Union, Vienna, Austria, 15-20 April 2007. Geophysical Research Abstracts, 9, 10603.
  • Valentine, T.A.; Karley, A.J.; Binnie, K.; Post, J.; Young, M.W.; Wright, G.M.; Marshall, B.; Hallett, P.D.; McKenzie, B.M.; Bengough, A.G. (2006) Plant growth responses to soil physical constraints., ESF – Wellcome Trust Conference, Cambridge, 8-11 November 2006. (Poster)
  • Mickovski, S.B.; Bengough, A.G.; Hallett, P.D.; Bransby, M.F.; Davies, M.C.R.; Sonnenberg, R. (2005) The effect of different environmental factors on the width of the root/soil interface zone during uprooting., Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A, 141 Supplement, p.S224.
  • Valentine, T.A.; Binnie, K.; Hans, J.; McKenzie, B.M.; Bengough, A.G. (2005) Root growth responses to soil physical properties., 14th New Phytologist Symposium,The Royal Society, London, 23-24 January 2006. (Poster)
  • Hallett, P.D.; Feeney, D.S.; Bengough, A.G.; Daniell, T.J.; Ritz, K.; Rodger, S.; White, N.A.; Young, I.M. (2005) Role of fungi on soil water repellency., European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2005 (EGU 2005), Vienna, Austria, 24-29 April 2005. Geophysical Research Abstracts, 7, 09553.

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