| Title |
Transparent Soil for Imaging the Rhizosphere
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
PLOS ONE, September 2012
|
| DOI | 10.1371/journal.pone.0044276 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Helen Downie, Nicola Holden, Wilfred Otten, Andrew J. Spiers, Tracy A. Valentine, Lionel X. Dupuy |
| Abstract |
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 present a heterogeneous, porous, transparent substrate 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. Minerals and fluorescent dyes were adsorbed onto the Nafion particles for nutrient supply and imaging of pore size and geometry. Plant growth in transparent soil was similar to that in soil. We imaged colonization of lettuce roots by the human bacterial pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7 showing micro-colony development. Micro-colonies may contribute to bacterial survival in soil. Transparent soil has applications in root biology, crop genetics and soil microbiology. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 33 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 10 | 30% |
| United Kingdom | 3 | 9% |
| Australia | 1 | 3% |
| China | 1 | 3% |
| France | 1 | 3% |
| Sweden | 1 | 3% |
| Egypt | 1 | 3% |
| Vanuatu | 1 | 3% |
| Mauritius | 1 | 3% |
| Other | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown | 13 | 39% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 18 | 55% |
| Scientists | 12 | 36% |
| Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 3 | 9% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 498 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 5 | 1% |
| France | 3 | <1% |
| Brazil | 3 | <1% |
| United Kingdom | 2 | <1% |
| India | 2 | <1% |
| Canada | 2 | <1% |
| Australia | 1 | <1% |
| Colombia | 1 | <1% |
| Germany | 1 | <1% |
| Other | 3 | <1% |
| Unknown | 475 | 95% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Researcher | 130 | 26% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 114 | 23% |
| Student > Master | 48 | 10% |
| Student > Bachelor | 29 | 6% |
| Student > Doctoral Student | 25 | 5% |
| Other | 81 | 16% |
| Unknown | 71 | 14% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 236 | 47% |
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 34 | 7% |
| Environmental Science | 32 | 6% |
| Engineering | 32 | 6% |
| Physics and Astronomy | 21 | 4% |
| Other | 60 | 12% |
| Unknown | 83 | 17% |