Rhizosphere Modelling for Crop Resilience and Breeding

This document presents a modelling approach to predict crop resilience to abiotic stress by simulating root system growth and rhizosphere modifications. It integrates genotypic and environmental data to assess how root architecture and rhizodeposit types influence water uptake across diverse soil and climate conditions. The method evaluates impacts on soil properties such as water retention, hydraulic conductivity, and microbial activity, supporting irrigation and fertiliser management decisions. Key components include root system architecture modelling, rhizodeposit distribution prediction, and soil water transport simulation with rhizodeposit effects. Implementation requires software integration into platforms like AquaCrop or APSIM over a one-year timeline, with a five-year impact window. A major challenge is obtaining data on genotype-specific rhizodeposit effects on soil hydraulics for model calibration. The approach is applicable to all cropping systems with sufficient calibration data.