Rare Mutant of Barley Promising in Times of Climate Change

Jülich, 2 September 2021 – How important the root system is for the level of crop yields is frequently underestimated. Whether roots are able to effectively access water and nutrients also determines how resilient important crops are to drought and climate change. An international team of researchers including employees of Forschungszentrum Jülich have discovered and described a mutant of barley. The crop’s roots grow downwards much more steeply than they usually do. This discovery might represent a starting point for breeding types of crop that are more resistant to drought. The study has been published in PNAS.

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