News article, 28. September 2023

Researching the feed of the future: weather-resistant plants

The need for agriculture to find innovative solutions in a climate-challenged world is acute, not least because the viability of agriculture is under threat.

Photo: Danish Agriculture & Food Council

In the past few years, many farmers have had to look on helplessly as climate change has manifested itself through more extreme weather conditions. The changeable and unpredictable weather creates difficult conditions for farmers and their crops. Scientists believe that the extreme weather conditions are here to stay, which is precisely why it is important to adapt to this new situation.

Research at Copenhagen University: weather-resistant food for the future in Danish fields
At Copenhagen University, scientists are investigating weather-resistant food crops of the future. Most of the research is conducted in greenhouses where conditions such as water and heat can be controlled. However, the many dry days this summer have provided good conditions for research to be carried out in the field. And drought-resistant plants have proved to thrive in the dry Danish climate conditions this summer.

Broad beans, which are highly drought sensitive, are one of the crops being studied. The yield largely depends on the weather, which must not be too dry. Scientists are therefore trying to find a variety that can better handle periods of drought. Cultivating crops with long roots that can extend far into the ground where water can be found, therefore makes sense.

DLF strengthens drought-resistant crops with alfalfa breeding programme
The Danish company, DLF, a world leader in grass seed, has stepped up its efforts to develop crops that are resistant to drought conditions. Among other things, DLF supplies grass seed for feed production. The group recently acquired the American company, Corteva Agrisciences, which runs an alfalfa breeding programme. Alfalfa is a hardy plant that thrives even in dry conditions.

The acquisition will also enable DLF to bolster the development of varieties that are more competitive in terms of increased yield and winter hardiness and have greater resistance to crop disease and pests.

The research programme at Copenhagen University and DLF’s acquisition of the Alfalfa breeding programme are reflections of the same trend. Both initiatives seek to strengthen the ability of crops to thrive under extreme weather conditions, which is critical for food security and agricultural practices at a time of extreme weather.