Food Security and Climate Change
Our research focuses on tackling climate change while ensuring global food security, aligning with sustainable development goals 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, 13, and 15.
One line explores basic research to develop resilient crops adapted to climate change conditions. This includes (i) identifying alternative crops suited to arid conditions and (ii) understanding the unique traits of plants that live in extreme environments, and transferring these traits into crop improvement programs. Special attention is given to Tritordeum, a promising cereal with high nitrogen-use efficiency and grain protein content, offering a sustainable solution for food production in a changing climate.
The second line aims to reduce pesticide dependency by enhancing sustainable agricultural practices. This includes advancing precision agriculture through improved reference indices and early detection systems. Additionally, the use of biostimulants is investigated as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional pesticides, aiming to maintain crop health while minimizing environmental impact.
The approach to these research lines is multiscale, encompassing measurements of enzymatic activities at the tissue level, physiological processes such as photosynthesis at the organ level, and whole-plant assessments using NDVI indices, among other parameters.
Group members
- Usue Pérez López (PI)
- Jon Miranda González de Apodaca (Postdoctoral researcher)
- Ander Yoldi Achalanbaso (Postdoctoral researcher)
- Guillermo López Castro (PhD researcher)
- Enara Alday (PhD researcher)
- Ane Kortabarria (PhD researcher)
- Alberto Muñoz Rueda (Emeritus Professor).