By Alice McFarlane

Root research – a new frontier

Sep 5, 2025 | 10:22 AM

The Royal Society of Canada (RSC) is considered the most prestigious collection of Canadian scholars, artists and researchers across a vast interdisciplinary field.

A University of Saskatchewan researcher has been named an RSC Fellow, which is considered the highest honour that can be awarded in recognition of outstanding scholarly achievement.

Dr. Leon Kochian (PhD) has spent more than four decades exploring plant biology, with a specific focus on plant roots. He is a Canada Excellence Research Chair in Global Food Security and a professor in the Department of Plant Sciences in USask’s College of Agriculture and Bioresources.

Kochian describes roots as a ‘hidden half’ because you can’t see them in the real world.

“The reason we focus on the roots is they’re much more poorly understood than plant shoots, and we know how important they are to successful crop production,” Kochian said. “They provide the nutrients, the water and the anchorage for the plants.”

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The main focuses of Kochian’s plant biology and molecular physiology research include how crops handle abiotic stresses in soil. As plants need specific nutrients to survive and thrive, Kochian’s work explores the structure and biological function of root systems for crops – to improve how crops respond to low water and mineral nutrient availability to acquire these in sufficient quantities, as well as how they deal with potentially toxic minerals and chemicals in the soil.

Kochian’s lab is exploring how root architecture helps drive enhanced nutrient and water acquisition.

“We’ve developed ways to image roots in the lab. We can actually image and quantify the three-dimensional root architecture, which turns out to be a very important genetic trait that plant breeders can take advantage of to further improve different crop species,” he said.

A self-described “science nerd,” Kochian credited his father for spurring his interest and excitement in science from a young age, helping him set up microscopes and a small lab to carry out simple experiments with him to understand the world around him.

From his early days as a curious young boy, Kochian has emerged as one of the world’s most influential scientists addressing food security. His work has made monumental impacts on how producers grow the food we eat. Kochian’s knowledge continues to create positive change with the influence of his mentees, students and team of dedicated scientists.

Kochian praises the research environment and his colleagues at USask, noting that he had the chance to work with a variety of research specialists to have an effect on the nutrition of the real world.

“It’s really a new frontier that’s just recently being explored,” he said. “Root biology is a hot research area now, as we better understand how root systems can be improved to enable the crop to do more with less – improving crop yields while using less water and fertilizer.”

Four USask researchers were recognized by RSC, including Kochian, Dr. Dwight Newman, Dr. Steven Rayan and Dr. Allyson Stevenson.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com