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Glyn Bengough

Staff picture: Glyn Bengough
Ecological Sciences
Ecological Sciences
Root-soil Biophysicist
glyn.bengough@hutton.ac.uk
+44 (0)1382 568792

The James Hutton Institute
Invergowrie
Dundee DD2 5DA
Scotland UK

 

Current research interests

  • 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.

Bibliography

  • Whalley, W.R.; Bengough, A.G. (2013) Soil mechanical resistance and root growth and function., In: Eshel, A. & Beechman, T. (eds.). Plant Roots: The Hidden Half. 4th edition, CRC Press, Chapter 37.
  • Hallett, P.; Bengough, A.G. (2013) Managing the soil physical environment for plants., In: Gregory, P.J. & Nortcliff, S. (eds.). Russell’s Soil Conditions and Plant Growth. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK, 12th edition, Chapter 8, pp238-268.
  • Gregory, P.J.; Bengough, A.G.; George, T.S.; Hallett, P.D. (2013) Rhizosphere engineering by plants: quantifying soil-root interactions., In: Timlin, D., Ahuja, L. (eds.) Enhancing Understanding and Quantification of Soil-Root Growth Interactions. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, USA.
  • Gregory, P.J.; George, T.S.; Hallett, P.D.; Bengough, A.G. (2012) Advances in rhizosphere effects on soil-root growth interactions., In: Advances in Modeling Agricultural Systems: Trans-disciplinary Research, Synthesize, Modeling, and Applications (eds. Dennis Timlin and Laj Ahuja). ASA-SSSA-CSSA, Madison, WI.
  • Loades, K.W.; Bengough, A.G.; Bransby, M.F.; Hallett, P.D. (2012) Reinforcement of soil by fibrous roots., In: Advances in Modeling Agricultural Systems: Trans-disciplinary Research, Synthesize, Modeling, and Applications. Vol 3. Enhancing Understanding and Quantification of soil-Root Growth Interactions (eds. Dennis Timlin and Laj Ahuja). ASA-SSSA-CSSA, Madison, WI
  • 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.

  • Hough, R.L.; Bengough, A.G.; Chapman, S.J.; Daniell, T.; Matthews, R.; Squire, G.; Towers, W.; White, P.J. (2014) Heat in the soil form (NIA-NGGT0017)., Interim Report for National Grid.
  • 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.

Scientific posters/conferences

AttachmentSize
File Computer visualisation of root morphogenesis 121.03 KB
File Root border cells in the rhizosphere 119.07 KB
File Root growth responses to soil physical conditions 125.51 KB
File Fungal and plant influences upon soil wetting 381.06 KB
File A phenotypic screen for genetic analysis of barley seedling root traits 234.79 KB
File Role of border cells in root growth and rhizosphere interactions 420.13 KB
File Computer visualisation and modelling of plant morphogenesis: In-vivo segmentation and tracking of cells using confocal microscopy 230.65 KB
File Computer visualisation and modelling of plant morphogenesis: Optical flow analysis of time-lapse confocal microscopy images 209.85 KB
File Root growth responses to soil physical properties 192.39 KB
File Do mixed cultivars outperform monocultures under defined soil tillage regimes? 289.42 KB
File How do cultivar mixtures perform under defined soil tillage regimes? 411.09 KB
File Genetic variation and interactions of root traits involved in plant:soil physical interactions 134.99 KB
File Plant growth responses to soil physical constraints 203.87 KB
File Defining the soil for controlled environments and in the field : SCRI examples 897 KB
File PlantVis: Quantitative motion analysis of time-lapse confocal laser scanning microscopy images: application to plant root growth 962.38 KB
File Quantitative analysis of root responses to multiple physical constraints: effects of soil pore structure 629.95 KB
File Can the size of a root system be estimated by its electrical capacitance?
81.65 KB
File Visualising and quantifying rhizosphere processes: root-soil contact
177.54 KB

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The James Hutton Research Institute is the result of the merger in April 2011 of MLURI and SCRI. This merger formed a new powerhouse for research into food, land use, and climate change.