Climate change calls for smart solutions to improve the resilience of cropping systems while increasing their sustainability. The Crop Genetics group uses genomic tools in combination with climate science to identify alleles more valuable to adaptation to future conditions. We use species distribution modelling enriched with genetic information to identify genomic vulnerability of crop collections in the effort to align breeding efforts to climate in the next decades. 

The group is developing experting in climate modelling to support farmers’ decisions in combination with their varietal option, through the development of climate services including targeted medium-to-long forecasts and prediction of weather conditions relevant to successful cropping. This activity is conducted in close collaboration with local farmers, to tailor climate services to end users and maximize chances of varietal uptake and improve food security in challenging environments