Figure: TUM researchers, working in international science teams, are conducting experiments to identify untapped genetic resources to increase wheat yields around the world. (Image: iStockphoto.com / hopsalka)

The war in Ukraine has disrupted the sufficient food supply for the global population. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) are now searching for modern methods to help boost global harvests to ensure global food security.

Wheat plays an important role in these studies. TUM, led by Professor Senthold Asseng, is working with international research teams to look at scenarios and models that could lead the way out of the global wheat crisis. According to Professor Asseng, the fluctuations in prices on global markets and in harvests have a major impact on the nutrition situation for many people worldwide. “The current global wheat crisis shows how important wheat is for the world,” he added.

Professor Asseng is now working intensively on potentially increasing wheat yields. In their experiments, he identified the unused genetic resources of wheat which has reached 51 percent. To bridge this yield gap, targeted breeding can lead to higher harvests. However, Professor Asseng said that genetics alone cannot solve the problem, and will need an interdisciplinary approach using genetics combined with soil and climate science.

For more details, read the article in TUM Research News.