Project Details
Projekt
Sub-project 5 (SP5): Combined effects of Setosphaeria turcica and abiotic stresses on maize genotypes
Applicants
Dr. Munir Hoffmann; Dr. Birger Koopmann; Dr. Annette Pfordt; Professor Dr. Reimund P. Rötter
Subject Area
Plant Cultivation, Plant Nutrition, Agricultural Technology
Term
since 2026
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 571153016
This project investigates the combined impact of abiotic (drought, nitrogen deficiency) and biotic (foliar disease Setosphaeria turcica) stressors on maize growth, yield, and grain/stover quality. The overarching goal is to unravel the complex interactions of multiple stress factors under realistic conditions and improve mechanistic understanding to inform future breeding and crop management strategies. We hypothesize that multiple stress interactions are non-additive and vary in intensity and outcome depending on genotype and environmental context. To test this, coordinated field trials will be conducted in Germany and Kenya using rainout shelters to control water availability. These trials will be complemented by greenhouse and climate chamber experiments to investigate physiological responses under controlled stress combinations. A key aspect of the project is the selection of maize genotypes with differing resistance profiles and the standardized inoculation with well-characterized S. turcica races. In addition to standard agronomic parameters such as biomass and yield, physiological stress indicators (e.g. leaf chlorophyll, protein content, antioxidative capacity) will be recorded. Experimental data will feed into process-based crop models, allowing us to simulate the dynamic interaction between biotic and abiotic stressors and to extrapolate results across seasons, genotypes, and environments. These insights will support the identification of promising traits for stress-tolerant breeding and inform the ideotyping of future maize cultivars. The project contributes to climate-resilient crop production and aims to safeguard yield and quality under increasingly variable and challenging growing conditions.
DFG Programme
Research Units
