The climate alterations that we face will change plant ecosystems and affect conditions for plant growth, and in that way affect not only yield and composition of crop biomass, but also change the demands for nutrients, pesticides and water.
This network with 10 groups from 4 countries performs research training, develops plant material, molecular tools and strategies for a future Nordic plant production with low input and minimal environmental impact. This is achieved by networking between the participants and their already running major national and international projects on climate change.
We seek to prepare Nordic primary plant production for future variable climate conditions and to secure a low input production with minimal environmental impact. This is achieved by selecting appropriate genetic resources in relation to crop health, quality and quantity and by development of methods, tools and strategies for effective and sustainable crop cultivation in the future Nordic climate. This aim is achieved in the following network themes:
- SELECTION OF NORDIC GENETIC RESOURCES OF CROP WITH ABIOTIC AND BIOTIC STRESS TOLERANCE. DEVELOPMENT OF MOLECULAR TOOLS. Genetic resources are screened for stress resistance and productivity in climate scenarios in RERAF at DTU Chemical Engineering’s advanced climate phytotron. We focus on the crops barley and oilseed rapes, but effects to other Nordic crops are also evaluated. The climate scenarios in RERAF (Risoe Environmental Risk Assessment Facility) apply combinations of elevated CO2, O3, temperature and drought - with and without pathogen infection. The most extreme climate scenarios correspond to IPCCs predictions for the Nordic countries in year 2075 (700 ppm CO2, 24/19 C, 60-100 ppb O3). In addition to average climate scenarios, extreme events and temporal variability is studied. Effects of biotic stress include resistance to important diseases like powdery mildew, rusts, net blotch and scald. Inputs, outputs and quality (e.g. protein contents and fungal toxins) of the production are measured. Association mapping of QTL for resistance to abiotic and biotic stress is performed.
- UTILIZATION OF THE SELECTED GENETIC RESOURCES AND MOLECULAR TOOLS. The plant material selected in RERAF is preselected for disease resistance at the involved breeding companies. The final selected material is made freely available to industry through NordGen, so that the stress tolerant material can be developed further through crosses with modern varieties. Mapped SNP markers associated with stress tolerance are also handed to the breeders.
- DEVELOPING DECISION SUPPORT TOOLS AND STRATEGIES FOR A PRODUCTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE CROP PRODUCTION UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE. We apply QSA, Quantitative Sustainability Assessment (a LCA), and will include all processes needed for the production of the crop, all relevant environmental impacts – ranging from global impacts like GHG and loss of non-renewable resources over regional to more local impacts like land use - to allow judging the overall feasibility and environmental sustainability of the production. The QSA will support identification of the focus points for improving the environmental stress resistance and sustainability.
RERAF Growth chamber