Development of radioisotope imaging technology of multi-elements in a plant body for agricultural science

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H04465
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 80040:Quantum beam science-related
• Research Institution: National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Naoki Kawachi 国立研究開発法人量子科学技術研究開発機構, 高崎量子応用研究所 放射線生物応用研究部, 上席研究員 (70414521)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 神谷 富裕 群馬大学, 大学院理工学府, 教授 (70370385)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: RIイメージング / 元素動態 / 放射線計測 / 放射性同位元素（RI）

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The press release "Rice's Strategy to Survive Drought," based on the results of this research, received a lot of print coverage and attention. Here, we developed a new plant RI imaging technology to investigate underground root function. Using this technology, we have revealed one aspect of the drought tolerance mechanism of rice plants, which involves selective and rapid switching of nutrient partitioning sites in response to humidity conditions. We concluded that this is a powerful tool for elucidating plant survival strategies in detail. Other results included the development of a technique for imaging gas flow in plants to elucidate flood tolerance mechanisms, and results on iron transport dynamics in barley.

Free Research Field

放射線計測学、植物栄養学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

農作物の生産性などを左右する植物が持つ生理機能を探索する強力なツールとして、植物RIイメージング技術を形作った。植物栄養学を基盤とした植物体内の元素の動きを可視化する技術を応用する研究手法の有用性を示すことができた。