Beyond 'shovelomics': Growing cassava in the air helps study the plant's mysterious roots

The normal way to study cassava roots is digging up the plant. Unfortunately, that tends to kill the plant, causing serious complications for researchers who are interested in learning more about how cassava grows. To solve this, scientists at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture grew cassava in the air—using a technique called aeroponics—and in doing so removed an obstacle for researchers interested in getting the most out of one of the world's hardiest staple crops.