Using systems agronomy to exploit deep roots in crops

Table of contents 1 Introduction 2 Wheat-based farming systems in south-eastern Australia – a brief overview 3 Unused subsoil water 4 Improving root systems to capture subsoil water 5 Increasing the depth of roots 6 Capturing more subsoil water – manipulating the system rather than the soil 7 Genetic improvements to rooting depth and density 8 Accounting for legacy effects 9 Scaling up to whole farm benefits 10 The future – using more of the soil and more of the season 11 Conclusions 12 Where to look for further information 13 References