Publications

Watt Group - Plant and Root System Biology

2026

Nakashima, K., Farrell, C., Calabria, J., Millar, A. H., Massa, G., & Watt, M. (2026). Identifying a new candidate space crop: The alpine strawberry Fragaria vesca. Life Sciences in Space Research.  Link

Robison, T. A., Mao, Y., Oh, Z. G., Ang, W. S., Loh, D. H., Hsieh, Y. H., ... & Li, F. W. (2026). An unconventional Rubisco small subunit underpins the CO2-concentrating organelle in land plants. Science, 391(6789), 1070-1075. Link

Lafferty, D., Calabria, J., Lister, R., Mayer, J., Watt, M., & Golz, J. (2026). Molecular approaches to increasing plant root carbon. Trends in Plant Science, 31(4).  Link

Waymouth, V., Keynton, A., Brumley, D., Ebert, B., & Watt, M. (2026). Cell walls and their role in the plant root microbiome. Trends in Plant Science.  Link

Sanow, S., Mantz, M., Wissel, H., Bhatnagar, A., Sturm, E., Kelm, J., Walker, R., Lücke, A., Schaaf, G., Huesgen, P., Roessner, U., Watt, M., & Arsova, B. (2026). Systems-Level Plant Responses Reveal Pseudomonas-Mediated Growth Promotion in Brachypodium Under Nitrogen Limitation. Plant Cell and Environment. Link

2025

Charbeaux, R., Waymouth, V., Calabria, J., Miller, T., Andeer, P., & Watt, M. (2025). Synchronizing Germination Rates Across Plant Species for Fabricated Ecosystems EcoFAB 2.0. Bio Protocol, 15(23).  Link

Schultes, S., Rüger, L., Niedeggen, D., Freudenthal, J., Frindte, K., Becker, M., Metzner, R., Pflugfelder, D., Chlubek, A., Hinz, C., van Dusschoten, D., Bauke, S., Bonkowski, M., Watt, M., Koller, R., & Knief, C. (2025). Photosynthate distribution determines spatial patterns in the rhizosphere microbiota of the maize root system. Nature Communications, 16(1). Link

Bochmann, H., Klein, M., Henry, A., Faßbender, H., De Ocampo, M., Kant, J., & Watt, M. (2025). Rice cycles between drought and well-watered-adapted phenotypes by changing lateral root formation. Annals of Botany, 136(5–6).  Link

Novak, V., Andeer, P., King, E., Calabria, J., Fitzpatrick, C., Kelm, J., Wippel, K., Kosina, S., Bowen, B., Daum, C., Zane, M., Yadav, A., Chen, M., Russ, D., Adams, C., Owens, T., Lee, B., Ding, Y., Sordo, Z., … Northen, T. (2025). Breaking the reproducibility barrier with standardized protocols for plant–microbiome research. Plos Biology, 23(9 September).  Link

Calabria, J., Wang, L., Rast-Somssich, M.I., Chen, H.W., Watt, M., Persson, S., Andersen, T.G., Idnurm, A. & Somssich, M., (2025). Resolving spatially distinct phytohormone response zones in Arabidopsis thaliana roots colonised by Fusarium oxysporum. Journal of Experimental Botany, p.erae516. Link

Robison, T. A., Oh, Z. G., Lafferty, D., Xu, X., Villarreal, J. C. A., Gunn, L. H., & Li, F. W. (2025). Hornworts reveal a spatial model for pyrenoid-based CO2-concentrating mechanisms in land plants. Nature Plants, 11(1), 63-73. Link

2024

Novak, V., Andeer, P., Bowen, B.P., Ding, Y., Zhalnina, K., Kosina, S.M., Dangl, J.L., Fitzpatrick, C., Watt, M., Calabria, J. & Schulze-Lefert, P., (2024). Advancing collaborative research in rhizosphere biology via standardized fabricated ecosystems (EcoFAB 2.0). Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 37(5), 131-132. Link

Novak, V., Andeer, P.F., King, E., Calabria, J., Fitzpatrick, C., Kelm, J.M., Wippel, K., Kosina, S.M., Daum, C., Zane, M. & Yadav, A., (2024). Multi-laboratory Study Establishes Reproducible Methods for Plant-Microbiome Research in Fabricated Ecosystems. bioRxiv, pp.2024-10. Link

  • Lopez, G., Ahmadi, S. H., Amelung, W., Athmann, M., Ewert, F., Gaiser, T., Gocke, M. I., Kautz, T., Postma, J., Rachmilevitch, S., Schaaf, G., Schnepf, A., Stoschus, A., Watt, M., Yu, P., & Seidel, S. J. (2023). Nutrient deficiency effects on root architecture and root-to-shoot ratio in arable crops. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13. Link

    Sanow, S., Kuang, W., Schaaf, G., Huesgen, P., Schurr, U., Roessner, U., Watt, M. & Arsova, B. (2023). Molecular mechanisms of Pseudomonas-assisted plant nitrogen uptake: Opportunities for modern agriculture. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions 36(9), 536-548. Link

    Nguyen, M. T. P., Knowling, M., Tran, N. N., Burgess, A., Fisk, I., Watt, M., Escribà-Gelonch, M., This, H., Culton, J. & Hessel, V. (2023). Space farming: Horticulture systems on spacecraft and outlook to planetary space exploration. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 194, 708-721 Link

  • Rambla, C., Van Der Meer, S., Voss-Fels, K. P., Makhoul, M., Obermeier, C., Snowdon, R., Ober, E. S., Watt, M., Alahmad, S., & Hickey, L. T. (2022). A toolkit to rapidly modify root systems through single plant selection. Plant Methods, 18(1). Link

    Macabuhay, A., Arsova, B., Watt, M., Nagel, K. A., Lenz, H., Putz, A., Adels, S., Müller-Linow, M., Kelm, J., Johnson, A. A. T., Walker, R., Schaaf, G., & Roessner, U. (2022). Plant Growth Promotion and Heat Stress Amelioration in Arabidopsis Inoculated with Paraburkholderia phytofirmans PsJN Rhizobacteria Quantified with the GrowScreen-Agar II Phenotyping Platform. Plants, 11(21), 2927. Link

    Kuang, W., Sanow, S., Kelm, J. M., Müller Linow, M., Andeer, P., Kohlheyer, D., Northen, T., Vogel, J. P., Watt, M., & Arsova, B. (2022). N-dependent dynamics of root growth and nitrate and ammonium uptake are altered by the bacterium Herbaspirillum seropedicae in the cereal model Brachypodium distachyon. Journal of Experimental Botany, 73(15), 5306–5321. Link

    Kuppe, C. W., Schnepf, A., von Lieres, E., Watt, M., & Postma, J. A. (2022). Rhizosphere models: their concepts and application to plant-soil ecosystems. Plant and Soil, 474(1-2), 17–55. Link

    Pflugfelder, D., Kochs, J., Koller, R., Jahnke, S., Mohl, C., Pariyar, S., Fassbender, H., Nagel, K. A., Watt, M., & van Dusschoten, D. (2021). The root system architecture of wheat establishing in soil is associated with varying elongation rates of seminal roots: quantification using 4D magnetic resonance imaging. Journal of Experimental Botany, 73(7), 2050–2060. Link

    Mau, L., Junker, S., Bochmann, H., Mihiret, Y. E., Kelm, J. M., Schrey, S. D., Roessner, U., Schaaf, G., Watt, M., Kant, J., & Arsova, B. (2022). Root Growth and Architecture of Wheat and Brachypodium Vary in Response to Algal Fertilizer in Soil and Solution. Agronomy, 12(2), 285. Link

    Macabuhay, A., Arsova, B., Walker, R., Johnson, A., Watt, M., & Roessner, U. (2022). Modulators or facilitators? Roles of lipids in plant root–microbe interactions. Trends in Plant Science, 27(2), 180–190. Link

  • Kawasaki, A., Dennis, P. G., Forstner, C., Raghavendra, A. K. H., Mathesius, U., Richardson, A. E., Delhaize, E., Gilliham, M., Watt, M., & Ryan, P. R. (2021). Manipulating exudate composition from root apices shapes the microbiome throughout the root system. Plant Physiology, 187(4). Link

    Pariyar, S. R., Nagel, K. A., Lentz, J., Galinski, A., Wilhelm, J., Putz, A., Adels, S., Heinz, K., Frohberg, C., & Watt, M. (2021). Variation in Root System Architecture among the Founder Parents of Two 8-way MAGIC Wheat Populations for Selection in Breeding. Agronomy, 11(12), 2452. Link

    Amini, S., Arsova, B., Gobert, S., Carnol, M., Bosman, B., Motte, P., Watt, M., & Hanikenne, M. (2021). Transcriptional regulation of ZIP genes is independent of local zinc status in Brachypodium shoots upon zinc deficiency and resupply. Plant, Cell & Environment, 44(10), 3376–3397. Link

    Schillaci, M., Kehelpannala, C., Martinez-Seidel, F., Smith, P. M. C., Arsova, B., Watt, M., & Roessner, U. (2021). The Metabolic Response of Brachypodium Roots to the Interaction with Beneficial Bacteria Is Affected by the Plant Nutritional Status. Metabolites, 11(6), 358. Link

    Ober, E. S., Alahmad, S., Cockram, J., Forestan, C., Hickey, L. T., Kant, J., Maccaferri, M., Marr, E., Milner, M., Pinto, F., Rambla, C., Reynolds, M., Salvi, S., Sciara, G., Snowdon, R. J., Thomelin, P., Tuberosa, R., Uauy, C., Voss-Fels, K. P., & Wallington, E. (2021). Wheat root systems as a breeding target for climate resilience. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 134. Link

    Kawasaki, A., Dennis, P. G., Forstner, C., Raghavendra, A. K. H., Richardson, A. E., Watt, M., Mathesius, U., Gilliham, M., & Ryan, P. R. (2021). The microbiomes on the roots of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and rice (Oryza sativa L.) exhibit significant differences in structure between root types and along root axes. Functional Plant Biology, 48(9), 871. Link

    He, F., Thiele, B., Kraus, D., Bouteyine, S., Watt, M., Kraska, T., & Kuhn, A. J. (2021). Effects of Short-Term Root Cooling before Harvest on Yield and Food Quality of Chinese Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. Alboglabra Bailey). Agronomy, 11(3), 577. Link

    Mau, L., Kant, J., Walker, R., Kuchendorf, C. M., Schrey, S. D., Roessner, U. & Watt, M. (2021). Wheat Can Access Phosphorus From Algal Biomass as Quickly and Continuously as From Mineral Fertilizer. Frontiers in Plant Science, 12, 14. Link

    Mathesius, U., Jin, J., Li, Y., & Watt, M. (2021). Understanding and improving crop root function (1st ed., pp. 163–194). Cambridge, Uk Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing.

    Schultes, S., Rüger, L., Metzner, R., Pflugfelder, D., van Dusschoten, D., Hinz, C., Bonkwoski, M., Watt, M., Koller, R., & Knief, C. (2021). Linking root carbon partitioning to inter-kingdom microbial variation in the maize rhizosphere. JuSER, FZJ-2022-00410.

    Schillaci, M., Arsova, B., Walker, R., Smith, P. M. C., Nagel, K. A., Roessner, U., & Watt, M. (2021). Time-resolution of the shoot and root growth of the model cereal Brachypodium in response to inoculation with Azospirillum bacteria at low phosphorus and temperature. Plant Growth Regulation, 93(1), 149–162. Link

  • Watt, M., Fiorani, F., Usadel, B., Rascher, U., Muller, O., & Schurr, U. (2020). Phenotyping: New Windows into the Plant for Breeders. Annual review of plant biology, 71. Link

    Severini, A. D., Wasson, A. P., Evans, J. R., Richards, R. A., & Watt, M. (2020). Root phenotypes at maturity in diverse wheat and triticale genotypes grown in three field experiments: Relationships to shoot selection, biomass, grain yield, flowering time, and environment. Field Crops Research, 255, 107870. Link

    Gupta, S., Schillaci, M., Walker, R., Smith, P. M. C., Watt, M., & Roessner, U. (2020). Alleviation of salinity stress in plants by endophytic plant-fungal symbiosis: Current knowledge, perspectives and future directions. Plant and Soil, 461, 219–244. Link

    Rich, S. M., Christopher, J., Richards, R., & Watt, M. (2020). Root phenotypes of young wheat plants grown in controlled environments show inconsistent correlation with mature root traits in the field. Journal of Experimental Botany. Link

    He, F., Thiele, B., Santhiraraja-Abresch, S., Watt, M., Kraska, T., Ulbrich, A., & Kuhn, A. J. (2020). Effects of Root Temperature on the Plant Growth and Food Quality of Chinese Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra Bailey). Agronomy, 10(5), 702. Link

    Arsova, B., Sanow, S., Schillaci, M., Kuang, W., Huesgen, P., Sarkar, D., Zuccaro, A., Roessner, U., & Watt, M. (2020). From the root’s point of view: understanding the plant response to beneficial microbes, with primary aim of improved plant nutrient uptake. EGU General Assembly 2020. Link

    Pflugfelder, D., Kochs, J., Koller, R., Jahnke, S., Mohl, C., Faßbender, H., Schurr, U., Watt, M., & van Dusschoten, D. (2020). Genotypic differences in early wheat seedling establishment in natural soil investigated using non-invasive 3D magnetic resonance imaging. JuSER, FZJ-2020-01709.

    Tracy, S. R., Nagel, K. A., Postma, J. A., Fassbender, H., Wasson, A., & Watt, M. (2020). Crop improvement from phenotyping roots: Highlights reveal expanding opportunities. Trends in plant science, 25(1), 105-118. Link

    Wasson, A. P., Nagel, K. A., Tracy, S., & Watt, M. (2020). Beyond digging: noninvasive root and rhizosphere phenotyping. Trends in plant science, 25(1), 119-120. Link

  • Arsova, B., Foster, K. J., Shelden, M. C., Bramley, H., & Watt, M. (2019). Dynamics in plant roots and shoots minimize stress, save energy and maintain water and nutrient uptake. New Phytologist, 225(3). Link

    Munns, R., Day, D. A., Fricke, W., Watt, M., Arsova, B., Barkla, B. J., Bose, J., Byrt, C. S., Chen, Z., Foster, K. J., Gilliham, M., Henderson, S. W., Jenkins, C. L. D., Kronzucker, H. J., Miklavcic, S. J., Plett, D., Roy, S. J., Shabala, S., Shelden, M. C., & Soole, K. L. (2019). Energy costs of salt tolerance in crop plants. New Phytologist, 225(3), 1072–1090. Link

    Correa, J., Postma, J. A., Watt, M., & Wojciechowski, T. (2019). Soil compaction and the architectural plasticity of root systems. Journal of Experimental Botany, 70(21), 6019–6034. Link

    Sasse, J., Kant, J., Cole, B. J., Klein, A. P., Arsova, B., Schlaepfer, P., Gao, J., Lewald, K., Zhalnina, K., Kosina, S., Bowen, B. P., Treen, D., Vogel, J., Visel, A., Watt, M., Dangl, J. L & Northern, T. R. (2019). Multilab EcoFAB study shows highly reproducible physiology and depletion of soil metabolites by a model grass. New Phytologist, 222(2), 1149-1160. Link

    Mau, L., Kant, J., Klose, H., Kuchendorf, C., Nedbal, L., Roessner, U., & Watt, M. (2019). The effects of algae fertilizer on wheat root morphology elucidated using modeling, phenotyping and metabolomics. Rhizosphere 5, FZJ-2020-00446.

    Arsova, B., Sanow, S., Schillaci, M., kuang, Huesgen, P., Roessner, U., & Watt, M. (2019). The impact of beneficial microbes on Brachypodium nutrient uptake under limiting supplies of nitrogen and phosphorus, monitored with non-invasive phenotyping and molecular approaches. miCROPe, FZJ-2019-05662.

    Sanow, S., Arsova, B., Demir, F., kuang, Huesgen, P., & Watt, M. (2019). P. koreensis: A plant growth-promoting bacterium for Brachypodium distachyon growing with limited nitrogen. 4th International Brachypodium Conference, FZJ-2020-00636.

    He, F., Thiele, B., Watt, M., Kraska, T., Ulbrich, A., & Kuhn, A. J. (2019). Effects of root cooling on plant growth and fruit quality of cocktail tomato during two consecutive seasons. Journal of food quality, 2019. Link

    Mau, L., Kant, J., Klose, H., Kuchendorf, C., Nedbal, L., Roessner, U., & Watt, M. (2019a). The effects of algae fertilizer on wheat root morphology. Transatlantic Summer School – Frontiers in Plant Sciences, FZJ-2020-00641.

    Amini, S., Arsova, B., Watt, M., & Hanikenne, M. (2019, June 1). Whole Plant Phenotyping and Molecular Identification of Zn Transporters During Zn Deficiency and Excess in Brachypodium distachyon. Brachypodium Conference 2019.

    Arsova, B., Amini, S., Aldous, S. H., Stühler, K., Westhoff, P., Scheepers, M., Baiwir, D., Mazzucchelli, G., Hanikenne, M., & Watt, M. (2019). Dynamics of plant protein regulation upon nutrient uptake or diurnal cycle monitored by targeted and untargeted proteomics. 6th International Congress on Analytical Proteomics, FZJ-2019-05660.

    Correa, J., Postma, J. A., Watt, M., & Wojciechowski, T. (2019). Root system architectural plasticity and soil compaction: a review. J. Exp. Bot., 70, 6019-6034. Link

    Arsova, B., Amini, S., Scheepers, M., Baiwir, D., Mazzucchelli, G., Carnol, M., Bosman, B., Motte, P., de Pauw, E., Watt, M., & Hanikenne, M. (2019). Resolution of the proteome, transcript and ionome dynamics upon Zn re-supply in Zn-deficient Arabidopsis. Link

  • Tyerman, S. D., Munns, R., Fricke, W., Arsova, B., Barkla, B. J., Bose, J., Bramley, H., Byrt, C., Chen, Z., Colmer, T. D., Cuin, T., Day, D. A., Foster, Kylie J., Gilliham, M., Henderson, S. W., Horie, T., Jenkins, C. L. D., Kaiser, B. N., Katsuhara, M., & Plett, D. (2018). Energy costs of salinity tolerance in crop plants. New Phytologist, 221(1), 25–29. Link

    Kawasaki, A., Okada, S., Zhang, C., Delhaize, E., Mathesius, U., Richardson, A. E., Watt, M., Gilliham, M & Ryan, P. R. (2018). A sterile hydroponic system for characterising root exudates from specific root types and whole-root systems of large crop plants. Plant methods, 14(1), 1-13. Link

    Arsova, B., Watt, M., & Usadel, B. (2018). Monitoring of plant protein post-translational modifications using targeted proteomics. Frontiers in plant science, 9, 1168. Link

  • Donn, S., Kawasaki, A., Delroy, B., Chochois, V., Watt, M., & Powell, J. R. (2017). Root type is not an important driver of mycorrhizal colonisation in Brachypodium distachyon. Pedobiologia, 65, 5-15. Link

    Postma, J. A., Kuppe, C., Owen, M. R., Mellor, N., Griffiths, M., Bennett, M. J., Lynch, J. P., & Watt, M. (2017). OpenSimRoot: widening the scope and application of root architectural models. New Phytologist, 215(3), 1274-1286. Link

    Carminati, A., Passioura, J. B., Zarebanadkouki, M., Ahmed, M. A., Ryan, P. R., Watt, M., & Delhaize, E. (2017). Root hairs enable high transpiration rates in drying soils. New Phytologist, 216(3), 771-781. Link

  • Kawasaki, A., Donn, S., Ryan, P. R., Mathesius, U., Devilla, R., Jones, A., & Watt, M. (2016). Microbiome and exudates of the root and rhizosphere of Brachypodium distachyon, a model for wheat. PloS one, 11(10), e0164533. Link

    Gioia, T., Galinski, A., Lenz, H., Müller, C., Lentz, J., Heinz, K., Briese, C., Putz, A., Fiorani, F., Watt, M., Schurr, U., & Nagel, K. A. (2017). GrowScreen-PaGe, a non-invasive, high-throughput phenotyping system based on germination paper to quantify crop phenotypic diversity and plasticity of root traits under varying nutrient supply. Functional Plant Biology, 44(1), 76-93. Link

    Ryan, P. R., Delhaize, E., Watt, M., & Richardson, A. E. (2016). Plant roots: understanding structure and function in an ocean of complexity. Link

    Rich, S. M., Wasson, A. P., Richards, R. A., Katore, T., Prashar, R., Chowdhary, R., Saxena, D.C., Mamrutha, H. M., Zwart, A., Misra, S. C., Sai Prasad, S. V., Chatrath, R., Cristopher, J., & Watt, M. (2016). Wheats developed for high yield on stored soil moisture have deep vigorous root systems. Functional Plant Biology, 43(2), 173-188. Link

    Schneebeli, K., Mathesius, U., Zwart, A. B., Bragg, J. N., Vogel, J. P., & Watt, M. (2016). Brachypodium distachyon genotypes vary in resistance to Rhizoctonia solani AG8. Functional plant biology, 43(2), 189-198. Link

    Wasson, A., Bischof, L., Zwart, A., & Watt, M. (2016). A portable fluorescence spectroscopy imaging system for automated root phenotyping in soil cores in the field. Journal of Experimental Botany, 67(4), 1033-1043. Link

  • Chochois, V., Vogel, J. P., Rebetzke, G. J., & Watt, M. (2015). Variation in adult plant phenotypes and partitioning among seed and stem-borne roots across Brachypodium distachyon accessions to exploit in breeding cereals for well-watered and drought environments. Plant Physiology, 168(3), 953-967.

    Nagel, K. A., Bonnett, D., Furbank, R., Walter, A., Schurr, U., & Watt, M. (2015). Simultaneous effects of leaf irradiance and soil moisture on growth and root system architecture of novel wheat genotypes: implications for phenotyping. Journal of experimental botany, 66(18), 5441-5452.

    Fitzgerald, T. L., Powell, J. J., Schneebeli, K., Hsia, M. M., Gardiner, D. M., Bragg, J. N., McIntyre, C. L. Manners, J. M., Ayliffe, M., Watt, M., Vogel, J. P., Henry, R. J. & Kazan, K (2015). Brachypodium as an emerging model for cereal–pathogen interactions. Annals of Botany, 115(5), 717-731. Link

  • Schneebeli, K., Mathesius, U., & Watt, M. (2014). B rachypodium distachyon is a pathosystem model for the study of the wheat disease rhizoctonia root rot. Plant Pathology, 64(1), 91-100. Link

    Donn, S., Kirkegaard, J. A., Perera, G., Richardson, A. E., & Watt, M. (2014). Evolution of bacterial communities in the wheat crop rhizosphere. Environmental microbiology, 17(3), 610-621. Link