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AIMS

The aim of our research is to contribute to the development of new varieties with improved adaptation to stressful environments.  We approach this goal through basic research on the genetic and physiological basis of stress adaptation. In collaboration with institutions in the developing world we subsequently transfer our research findings to crop breeding and other applied sciences.

FOCUS

At present we focus mainly on work with rice as this is the most important food crop worldwide. It is also the crop with the best genetic/genomic resources available and can therefore serve as a model crop for other cereals such as barley, wheat or sorghum. At present we focus on abiotic stresses that limit crop yields in many parts of the world, investigating genetic and physiological causes of:

• tolerance to phosphorus (P) deficiency

• tolerance to iron toxicity

• enhanced root development under stress

• tolerance to drought and salinity

In addition we collaborate with partners on developing rice with improved nutritional quality, namely with increased zinc (Zn) concentrations in the rice grain. A first Zn biofortified rice breeding line from our program has been released in 2024 as variety 'Mavitrika' in Madagascar where Zn malnutrition is a national concern. 

With the move to the University of Bonn we started work on resource capture and root development in maize in collaboration with the group of Peng Yu.