Building a future with root architecture

Unmanaged consumption and climate change are profoundly affecting water resources at a global level. It is therefore vital to understand plant responses to drought and flooding, and to breed crops with greater water use efficiency and resilience. Root system architecture is critically important in this, but understanding how architecture and root function should be manipulated to increase resource capture is complex and must take account of the phenology of crop growth and water availability. This virtual issue brings together fundamental research that is helping drive this agenda forward and sets out key areas of development that are needed.