Rhizosphere

What we see aboveground depends on what occurs belowground. Plants health is strongly linked to the world of roots, a wonderful underground world where everything is dark but full of life. Rhizosphere is an open door to this world: it is a scientific and artistic exhibition made of a number of multimedia exhibits. Visitors can cross it and meet animals, giant molecules and microscopic organisms. They can observe, interact and deeply know them: a sensory and immersive experience that will allow everybody to live the delicate balances at the basis of soil fertility and of the food we produce and eat. The main task of Rhizosphere is to raise interest and awarness on these scientific aspects: - the soil where we walk and where plants grow harbors an incredibly huge number of invisible organisms, - plants produce a large amount of root exudates containing molecules very useful to microbial communities living in soil. In turn, these microrganisms provide several benefits to plants. This ecosystem (the totality of interaction between organisms and the mineral inorganic world, that is, between biotic and abiotic enviromnment) is fundamental for the fertility at the basis of life on earth: in summary what we see (and eat) on the surface is the result of what happens belowground. - scientific studies and innovative techniques are currently beeing developed to protect and preserve the soil ecosystem with the final aim to cultivate in a more efficient and sustainable way. Rhizosphere was launched at the Food & Science Festival in Mantova (May 17-19, 2019) under the umbrella of Fascination of Plants Day 2019 (http://www.plantday.it/).