IBG-2: Plant Sciences
Adaptation to Climate Change - from the efficiency of the use of water, light and nutrients to climate change
Climate change has a strong influence on plant production. This comprises the hampering of plant growth by extreme weather events, the occurrence of novel diseases and increasing production due to elevated concentrations of CO2.
CO2 as a Nutrient
Work at IBG-2: Plant Sciences aims at strengthening plant resistance to abiotic stresses such as drought, heat, and excessive light, but also to biotic impairments. Moreover, it points at the optimisation of the CO2-fertilisation effect by elevated atmospheric CO2.
Phenotyping and Plant Breeding
For this issue, researchers at IBG-2 carry out fundamental analyses on stress physiology and photosynthesis research. These are converted into practical applications in cooperation with breeders and agronomic researchers. Phenotyping is an essential tool to gain scientific knowledge on acclimation of plants to climatic changes. This takes into account results of breeding activities as well as changes in biodiversity and performance of natural plant communities.
Ressource Use Efficiency
The efficiency of the use of water, nutrients and light, which are the major determinants of plant performance and production, is an important trait. Resource-use efficiency is driven by efficient uptake, distribution and transport inside the plant. Furthermore, it is affected by efficient conversion of resources into growth and yield and resource-friendly consumption (e.g. disposal of water to the atmosphere). Working on this, all research areas of IBG-2 act together and use JPPC as a phenotyping platform for the identification of mechanisms for the selection of improved (heritable) plant traits and for the validation of field experiments.
Potential for more ?
We develop concepts to test whether the breeding populations, which are presently used by breeders, have sufficient potential for the acclimation to future CO2 concentrations or whether the genetic basis has to be enlarged.
