Engineering photosynthesis and water-use efficiency for climate-resilient rice

Context

Rice feeds more than half of the world’s population but requires large amounts of water and is increasingly vulnerable to drought. Developing crops that maintain productivity while using water more efficiently will be increasingly important under a changing climate.

The Research

Supported by a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship, our research investigates how photosynthesis, stomatal behaviour, plant hydraulics and root–shoot signalling coordinate carbon gain and water use. Combining plant physiology, functional genomics, synthetic biology and cereal grafting, we explore how root-derived signals and traits can be harnessed to improve above-ground performance. We also investigate the contrasting evolutionary strategies of C₃ grasses such as rice and C₄ grasses such as sorghum and millets to uncover new mechanisms for improving crop performance. Our overarching aim is to develop new routes to crop improvement that integrate photosynthesis, water use and the root-shoot signalling continuum, enabling productive, climate-resilient rice for an increasingly water-limited future.