Research
Our goal is to conduct research and research-oriented training to further the understanding of the functioning of major tropical plant production systems in a changing environment.
Analytical Framework:
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Research Foci:
- Bridging gaps between genetics /plant breeding and (systems) agronomy by linking genetics to ecophysiological traits for genotype-specific responses to plant stressors and perform model-aided crop ideotype design
- Utilizing and modelling genetic diversity to develop multistress resilient crops/cropping systems for tropical and temperate climates
- Crop model development, evaluation and improvement based on targeted experimentation (effects of extremes (e.g. heat and drought), interaction with biotic stresses, and nutrient limitation)
- Assessing climate risks, climate change impacts, adaptation and mitigation options (technological innovations) for major crop production systems (in the tropics and global)
- Support integrated analysis and modelling of agricultural systems (food security, environmental impacts) across disciplines from plant/field via farm /landscape to global
Ongoing Projects:
MultiStress Concurrent multiple abiotic and biotic stress interactions in maize: impacts and mechanisms
AgMIP - Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project
Cocoa-Biochar - Agronomic potential of biochar application in cocoa production systems
BRACE - Barley Responses and Adaptation to Changing Environments
DFG Project - Water use and functional traits dynamics in cocoa agroforestry systemsCooperations:
CBL - Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use 
SIA - Sustainable International Agriculture
Partners:
- Agong, Stephen (Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST), Bondo/Kenya 1), More crop per drop
- Ahmed, Mutez (University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth 2), More crop per drop, COCOA-BIOCHAR
- Asseng, Senthold (University of Florida, USA 3), AgMIP
- Aysi, Kingsley (University of Limpopo, Republic of South Africa 4), SPACES
- Bindi, Marco (University of Florence, Italy 5), MACSUR
- Braun, Joachim von (Center for Development Research (ZEF) 6 und University of Bonn, Germany 7), PARI
- Carter, Timothy (Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Finland 8 ), MACSUR
- Casas, Ana M. (Estación Experimental Aula Dei-CSIC, Genetics and Plant Production, Spain 9), BARISTA
- Confalonieri, Roberto (University of Milan, Italy10 ), BARISTA
- Daszkowska-Golec, Agata (University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland 11), BARISTA
- Dobermann, Achim (IFA, Paris/France 12), MACSUR, AgMIP
- Erasmus, Barend (University of Pretoria, Republic of South Africa 13), SPACES
- Ewert, Frank (University of Bonn 7 und Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany 15), MACSUR, AgMIP, SUSTAG
- Hagemann, Nikolas (Ithaka Institut, Freiburg14 ), COCOA-BIOCHAR
- Iguarta, Ernesto (Estación Experimental Aula Dei-CSIC, Spain 9), ClimBar
- Ittersum, Martin van (Wageningen University, Netherlands 16), MACSUR, AgMIP
- Kersebaum, Christian (Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany 15), MACSUR
- Kollist, Hannes (University of Tartu, Institute of Technology, Estonia 19), BARISTA
- Koppel, Mati (Estonian Crop Research Institute, Estonia 20), BARISTA
- Kropff, Martin (CIMMYT, Mexico 21 ), AgMIP
- Lehtonen, Heikki (Natural Resources Institute (Luke), Vantaa, Finland 22), MACSUR, SUSTAG
- Lotze-Campen, Herrmann (Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Germany 23), SUSTAG, MACSUR, AgMIP
- Martius,Christopher (Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Bogor, Indonesien 24)
- Moshelion, Menachem (Hebrew University of Jersusalem, Israel 25), CLIMBAR
- Mueller, Christoph (Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Germany 23), SUSTAG, MACSUR, AgMIP
- Nendel, Claas (Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany 15), MACSUR, AgMIP, SUSTAG
- Oberthuer, Thomas (African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI), Afria 27)
- Olesen, Jorgen Eivind (Aarhus University, Denmark 29), MACSUR
- Otieno, Dennis (Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST), Bondo/Kenya 1), More crop per drop
- Paleari, Livia (University of Milan, Italy 10), BARISTA
- Pillen, Klaus (Martin-Luther-University Halle/Wittenberg, Germany 31), BARISTA
- Rasmussen, Soren K. (University of Copenhagen, Denmark 32), BARISTA
- Rossini, Laura (University of Milan (DiSAA), Italy 33), BARISTA
- Ruiz-Ramos, Margarita (CEIGRAM/Technical University of Madrid, Spain 34), MACSUR, SUSTAG
- Savary, Serge (INRA, Toulouse, France 37), AgMIP, MACSUR
- Schmidt, Hans-Peter (Ithaka Institute, Arbaz/Switzerland), 36), COCOA-BIOCHAR
- Schulman, Alan (University of Helsinki, Finland 39), BARISTA, ClimBar
- Semenov, Mikhail (Rothamsted Research, UK 38), AgMIP, MACSUR
- Trnka, Mirek (Mendel University, Brno, Czech Republic 35), MACSUR
- Wallach, Daniel (INRA, Toulouse, France 37), AgMIP, MACSUR
- Waugh, Robbie (James Hutton Institute, UK 41), BARISTA
- Wit, Allard de (Alterra, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Netherlands 16), MACSUR
- Whitbread, Anthony (International Crops Research Institute in the Tropics (ICRISAT), Dryland Systems, Hyderabad, India 42), SPACES