Research
Focus
We are working on protein crops to improve the domestic availability of plant protein, as of now on oilseed rape and faba bean. We want to identify heritable markers linked to higher and more stable yield given the warmer and more variable future climate. Hereby we look at different levels of genetic variation from genome structure and sequence variation to epigenetic variation. To that purpose, we use data sets from stress physiology, molecular genetics and bioinformatics.
Current projects
Within the frame of the DFG project "The influence of polyploidy on mutation rate in Brassica species", we study if a central parameter of evolution - mutation rate - is increasing in oilseed rape due to polyploidisation or polyploidy.
Moreover, we are part of the International Research Graduate School IRTG 2843 "Accelerating Crop Genetic Gain", a joint project of JLU with the University of Queensland in Australia. Here, we work on yield and yield stability in faba bean.
In other current thesis (see courses) we do for example search for new sources of drought tolerance in oilseed rape.