Transparent soils
Understanding of soil processes is essential for addressing the global issues of food security, disease transmission and climate change. However, techniques for observing soil biology are lacking.
We are developing new heterogeneous, porous, transparent substrates for in situ 3D imaging of living plants and root-associated microorganisms using particles of the transparent polymer, Nafion, and a solution with matching optical properties. We also use minerals and fluorescent dyes that are adsorbed onto the Nafion particles for nutrient supply and imaging of pore size and geometry.
Results show that plant growth in transparent soil was similar to that in soil. We have used the system to imaged the root of numerous plants (lettuce, barley, tobacco, Arabidopsis) and different types of micro-organisms (E. coli, Pseudamonas).