Exploiting night-time traits to improve wheat yield and water use efficiency in the warming climate of north-western Mexico (Newton Fund, UK & Mexico, 2019-2022)

Yield gains in wheat are threatened by rising atmospheric temperatures and lowered water availability caused by climate change. There is increasing evidence that rising minimum (night-time) temperatures are a major factor in yield decline in cereals. Despite this, most selection has focused on processes relevant to the day time and very little is known about nocturnal traits and their genetic regulation. This project pioneers novel techniques for night-time field screening at high temperatures of wheat germplasm for optimal traits (such as water use efficiency), and discovery of underlying genetic and physiological basis for implementation into a breeding program for improved varieties.

Lead Contact: Erik Murchie, University of Nottingham

Read more in the press release here.