My work focusses on the interactions between crop plants and soil microbes, especially the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. My research at the Crop Science Centre (a collaboration between the University of Cambridge and NIAB) uses complimentary greenhouse and field trial experiments to investigate the role of mycorrhizas in crop nutrition. Specifically, we are looking at the role of plant nutrient sensing in determining mycorrhizal benefit to crops and exploring the potential to breed crop plants for improved interactions with these fungal symbionts.
