RootMix
Mixed cultivar systems to mitigate drought effects on Nordic crop production
Future climate projections predict more frequent and severe climate extremes in Nordic countries. Spring droughts result in tremendous crop yield and economic losses for farmers and society. New biotechnological approaches are needed to secure crop productivity in a changing climate. Mixed cultivar systems have a clear but underexplored potential to ensure stable yields, higher nutrient and water use efficiency, and carbon-building soil management.
This project proposes that mixing shallow and deep rooting crop cultivars enhances the drought resistance and resilience of cropping systems. Through collaborative interdisciplinary experiments under controlled conditions and in the field in Denmark and Sweden, RootMix aims to increase the fundamental understanding of the belowground functioning of these systems with respect to soil exploration by plants, water and nutrient acquisition, and C cycling.
To test whether mixed cultivar systems combining different cultivars are more drought resistant (i.e. productive) than single cultivar systems. Understanding how mixed cultivar systems affect mycorrhizal communities and soil organic carbon inputs and storage.
Soil mechanics and soil management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Thomas Keller, Professor thomas.keller@slu.se, Soil & Environment Department, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Bjoern Lindahl, ProfessorBjorn.Lindahl@slu.se, Soil & Environment Department, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Tino Colombi, Scientisttino.colombi@slu.se, Soil & Environment Department, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Researchers
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search in Name | Search in Title | Search in Phone | |
| Carsten W. Müller | Associate Professor | +4535334125 | |
| Dorette Sophie Müller-Stöver | Associate Professor | +4535331236 |
Funded by:
RootMix has received a three year funding from Novo Nordisk Fonden
Project: Mixed cultivar systems to mitigate drought effects on Nordic crop production
Period: 2021-2024