The Agronomy and Plant Genetics Spring Seminar Series kicks off on Thursday, February 8, at 2:30 p.m. with Professor Erin Sparks of the University of Delaware presenting "Engineering Root Systems for Climate Resilience."
The seminar will be held from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in 306 Borlaug Hall. A reception will follow in 302 Borlaug Hall.
Learn more about the seminar below:
Engineering Root Systems for Climate Resilience
Climate change is negatively impacting crop production by changing water availability and increasing the prevalence of crop mechanical failure (lodging). In the United States, maize (corn) crop losses due to lodging are reported to range between 5 and 25 percent.
Research in the Sparks Lab aims to improve crop resilience under a changing climate through targeted engineering of root systems. The maize root system is predominantly composed of stem-borne roots that arise both below (crown roots) and above (brace roots) the soil. These roots have been proposed to be critical for structural stability and nutrient and water acquisition. However, the development, function, and environmental responsiveness of these roots is poorly studied.
In this talk, Sparks will review her lab’s efforts to fill the knowledge gaps surrounding stem-borne roots with a goal to improve crop resilience and crop production.
Sparks is an associate professor in Plant and Soil Sciences and the Delaware Biotechnology Institute at the University of Delaware, where she started her lab in 2017. She has a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, a Ph.D. in Cell and Development Biology, and postdoctoral experience in Plant Molecular Biology. Sparks's lab takes an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the development and function of aerial roots in cereal crops.
You can learn more about Sparks and her work here.