WILLAGRI
Scientists are working to make rice more resilient to the impacts of climate change, including heat and drought. An international collaboration involving researchers from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines is underway. 200 ancient varieties of rice are grown under conditions simulating future climate scenarios to analyze their resistance. The focus is on stomata, pores responsible for gas exchange and water loss, to identify genes that promote better resilience. Researchers use specific alleles to improve resistance to heat and drought via genetic breeding programs. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are used to predict which gene expressions could increase yields under harsh conditions. The University of Würzburg has the infrastructure to model these predictions through its Center for Computational Biology and its Julia 2 supercomputer.
Sources: Rural 21 and University of Würzburg