Synchrotron X-rays for Metals in Plants, Soils, and Environmental Systems: Early Science and Community Building at XLEAP

Session

Plant–soil interfaces and biogeochemical cycling

Aug 5, 2026, 12:45 PM

Bradfield 101 (Cornell University)

9. Unraveling Dynamic Iron Regulation at the Plant–Microbe Interface

Wolfgang Busch (Salk Institute for Biological Studies)

8/5/26, 12:45 PM

Plant-soil interactions and biogeochemical cycling

Oral presentation

Iron is an essential micronutrient that supports core metabolic and defense processes in plants, yet its accumulation must be tightly controlled because excess iron promotes oxidative damage. In the rhizosphere, iron availability also profoundly influences plant–microbe interactions, creating a fundamental challenge for roots that must simultaneously acquire iron from the soil, maintain...

22. Mycorrhizal-Bacterial Interactions and Resource Fluxes at the Plant-Soil Interface

Rachel Hestrin (University of Massachusetts Amherst)

8/5/26, 1:15 PM

Plant-soil interactions and biogeochemical cycling

Oral presentation

Interactions between roots and soil microorganisms regulate resource movement through terrestrial ecosystems, influencing plant productivity, stress tolerance, and global biogeochemical cycling. Our research focuses on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi—ubiquitous root symbionts that enhance plant nutrient acquisition while distributing plant-derived carbon below ground. Because these processes...

20. Root-secreted Coumarins Increase Phosphorus Bioavailability to Plants through Reductive Dissolution of Iron

Christopher Schuler (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

8/5/26, 1:45 PM

Plant-soil interactions and biogeochemical cycling

Oral presentation

The essential nutrient phosphorus often has low bioavailability in soils because of adsorption to iron minerals. This can be especially problematic in agricultural soils, where large amounts of “legacy” phosphorus accumulate. Eudicot plants are known to access iron by secreting redox-active organic molecules, e.g. coumarins, from their roots. However, the ability of these metabolites to desorb...

45. Tracing Mineral Copper Acquisition in Grasses through Imaging and Reduction Kinetics

Luna Natoli (Cornell University)

8/5/26, 2:00 PM

Plant-soil interactions and biogeochemical cycling

Oral presentation

Understanding the uptake and localization of micronutrients in plant-soil systems is essential for improving crop nutrient efficiency and agricultural production. Copper (Cu) is an essential micronutrient required for fertility and grain production in grasses; however, its limited solubility in soils restricts plant acquisition and complicates efforts to understand Cu bioavailability in the...