在前期工作的基础上，群体将继续深化“作物高效利用养分资源的根际调控机理”研究，开展支撑作物高产高效群体的根系、根际过程和农田养分高效利用的调控机制及途径等创新工作，进一步加强在生产第一线开展理论与实践相结合的研究，不断深化已有的研究特色和优势。主要内容包括：研究支撑作物高产高效群体的根系形态和养分吸收的分子生理机制及其协同作用; 探讨局部养分供应调控根系生长和强化根际过程的机制；研究间套作体系种间根际生物互作机制；阐明根际微生物互作效应及强化根际过程的机理，探讨根际生物互作效应对磷资源高效利用的影响，阐明集约化条件下菌根的综合效应及反馈机制；寻求基于根层调控的优化土壤-作物系统综合管理技术，利用全国协作网和多点试验，探讨大面积实现高产高效的根层调控技术途径，并对其农学和资源环境效应进行综合评价，为集约化农业的可持续发展提供支撑。

Based on the advance of past three years’ researches, the innovative group will continue to focus on “mechanisms of crop rhizosphere management for high nutrient resource use efficiency in crops”. The research aims to exploit the biological potential of crops for efficient use of nutrient resources, including the coordination of root morphological and physiological processes on nutrient acquisition and utilization, rhizosphere-process management approaches on high nutrient use efficiency (NUE), and root-zone nutrient management for high NUE, and management approaches on high NUE in agro-ecosystems. Moreover, the innovative group integrates the basic research on theory and agricultural practice on resolving farmers’ problems. The main research activities include the following aspects: mechanism underlying the root morphology and physiology processes supporting high-yield and nutrient use efficiency in crops; mechanism of management and optimization of rhizosphere by localized nutrient supply; the mechanism of interspecific interactions in intercropping systems; mechanism of intensifying rhizosphere effect caused by plant-microbial interactions and the contribution of mycorrhiza to P utilization in intensive agricultural cropping system; development of the nutrient management based on the physiological processes of high yield and efficient nutrient utilization of the plants, and the synchronism of crop population development and soil nutrient supply to reach both high yield and efficient nutrient utilization; establishment of approaches for achieving high yield and efficient nutrient utilization in national scale based on national experiment sites of corporation network in different ecological zones, multi-point experiments and models; evaluation of the effect of agronomy, resources and environment in crop systems with high yield and high nutrient use efficiency, and further evaluation for environmental cost and food security in China. This provides an example for establishment of a sustainable agriculture system in which food security and environmental protection can be achieved.

理解土壤-根际-根系互作过程及调控机制是挖掘作物生物学潜力、提高养分资源利用效率的关键。如何优化根系和根际过程来匹配地上部群体需求，是集约化生产体系中同步实现高产与养分资源高效所面临的重大科学问题。本群体围绕“作物高效利用养分资源的根际调控机理”这一主题，在集约化生产条件下重点开展了支撑作物高产高效群体的根系形态和分子生理机制，作物高产高效群体的关键根际过程及其调控、以及实现作物高产高效的农田养分资源高效利用的调控途径的研究工作，进展如下：1）提出集约化生产条件下玉米养分高效利用的理想根构型。遗传上证明了玉米根系性状与氮磷养分效率性状显著相关，在分子水平上揭示了玉米根系生长发育响应氮磷养分的作用机理及与地上部生长的协同机制，为基于根系生物调控的高产高效作物群体创建提供了新的理论依据。2）明确了局部养分供应对作物关键根际过程的影响以及提高养分效率的机理，揭示了根际微生物与植物互作强化根际效应的作用方式，探讨了地下根际互作与地上部生长之间的反馈机制，为创建养分高效利用的根际调控途径提供了新的理论支撑；3）在农田和区域尺度上发展和完善了土壤-作物综合管理理论，集成应用最佳养分管理技术突破高产与环境保护难以协调的矛盾，实现了绿色增产增效。在村域尺度上，创新了“科技小院”模式，实现小农户的绿色生产与可持续发展。在国家尺度，融合全国科研协作网、政府及企业合作网络等，集成区域土壤-作物系统综合管理技术模式，实现了以更低的环境代价实现作物高产。三年共发表SCI论文98篇，影响因子高于5的论文20篇，包括Nature 1篇，Trends in Plant Science 1篇，Global Change Biology 1篇，New Phytologist 2篇，Plant Physiology 2篇，Environmental Science & Technology 3 篇，Journal Experimental Botany 4篇等。获国家工程院院士1人、长江学者1人、国家优青1人、万人计划1人。培养硕士研究生120人，博士研究生62人，博士后6人。主办国际学术会议5次、国内学术会议4次，邀请国外专家来华讲学48人次，参加学术会议并做报告119人次，其中国际会议报告94人次。