Dr Chenchen Zhao is tackling one of agriculture’s most urgent challenges, protecting crop production from the harsh environmental conditions driven by climate change. Crops such as barley and wheat are increasingly affected by stresses like waterlogging, salinity, and nutrient deficiencies, which can cause major yield losses and threaten food security worldwide.
By uncovering the physiological and molecular mechanisms that enable crops to withstand these stresses, Dr Zhao is identifying the genetic traits that make plants more resilient. His work has already contributed to the development of the waterlogging-tolerant barley variety RGT Atlantis, created in collaboration with industry partners.
Currently, he is researching how crops adapt to soil toxicity, focusing on ion transporters, stomatal regulation, and root adaptations. His ultimate goal is to deliver climate-resilient crop varieties that help farmers maintain strong yields in an era of increasing environmental uncertainty.