Exploiting night time traits in wheat in Mexico

Improving Mexican wheat varieties' heat tolerance and water use efficiency.

Lead researcher: Professor Erik Murchie

In response to increased temperatures and lower water availability, experts from the University of Nottingham, Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora and The Earlham Institute are researching the impact minimum temperatures are having on Mexico’s wheat yields.

Focussing on the puzzle of night time water loss and its relationship with increasing night time temperatures, this project will generate genetic and physiological information necessary to improve water use efficiency and heat tolerance in wheat varieties grown in Mexico. They will also develop new tools for night time phenotyping of wheat leaf conductance under different minimum temperatures and apply them to a genetically diverse panel of wheat in the field and in controlled environments.