Crops for the future

Crops for the future

Climate change and increased population growth are challenging sustainable food production. Carlsberg Research Laboratory will together with several partners develop climate-tolerant plants with higher yields and better nutritional value.

"Crops for the future – Tackling the challenges of changing climates" will contribute new, significant knowledge of plant genetics, which are essential for the breeding of future cultivated plants which must form the basis of sustainable production based on increased drought tolerance and improved disease resistance.

The project will focus on the one-yearly crop Sorghum, which can become an ideal source of starch and protein in areas exposed to drought. The project will also investigate the possibility of rapid development of perennial crops, which promote the accumulation of carbon in the soil and have an efficient uptake of nutrients thanks to a significantly larger root system.

The researchers will conduct an in-depth and exploratory analysis of the mechanisms activated under the stress conditions that arise during for instance heat and drought. The formation of proteins, carbohydrates, cell walls and other substances will also be examined. The results will be used to identify specific genes highly significant to drought tolerance, disease resistance, harvest yield and nutritional value and will enable the identification of genetic variants that can improve said characteristics in the Sorghum crop.