ProjectPhosphorus Cycling
Phosphorus cycling in the soil-microbe-plant continuum of agri-ecosystems

Co-PIs & Co-Is
Professor Elizabeth Wellington, University of Warwick
Professor Gary Bending, University of Warwick
Professor David Scanlan, University of Warwick
Professor Mark Tibbett, University of Reading
Dr. Alexandra Jones, University of Warwick
Dr. Jay Moore, University of Warwick
Aims & Objectives
This project will deliver novel insights into structure function relationships of the rhizosphere microbial communities and their role in phosphorus cycling for a non-mycorrhizal crop plant. The project will:
- Use metagenomics, metatranscriptomics and metaproteomics and 31P NMR on the rhizospheres of soil grown crop plants.
- Manipulate gene expression in Brassica rapa to alter the amount of root exudates and quantify rhizosphere phosphorus pools and microbial community structure and function.
- Evaluate changes in rhizosphere phosphorus pools and microbial structure and function during development of crop plants under controlled and field conditions with and without addition of fertiliser

Dr. John Hammond
University of Reading
John’s current post is at the University of Reading, where his research interests focus on the elemental nutrition of plants, combining research into plant physiology, elemental nutrition and genetics. You can find out more about John here.
Researchers

Andrew Goodall
molecular biologist
Andrew is a plant molecular biologist with experience working in plant nutrition, particularly with crop species. He is interested in the transcriptional responses of plants to nutritional deficiencies and the way that these responses can be exploited to produce plants with beneficial traits. Andrew is familiar with a range of plant molecular techniques including qPCR, in situ hybridisation, blotting and plant transformation.
For more information about Andrew please click here.

Ian Lidbury
micro biologist
Ian is a microbiologist whose research focuses on nutrient cycling with previous experience in marine systems. Specifically he has been working with bacterial genetics and physiology and proteomics. He is familiar with a range of sequencing and analysis techniques including Mi-Seq NGS, HPLC MS-MS and ion chromatography.
For more information about Ian please click here.