Root the Future: Defying Climate Stress with Heritage Winter Wheat Genetics

Overview

By 2050, the world needs to produce 70% more food to feed an estimated 9.1 billion people, yet climate change threatens every grain. Winter wheat offers a clever solution for colder climates like Canada, as root systems establish in the fall, outrunning summer heatwaves while delivering higher yields. However, to survive the winter, these plants must "race" to build deep, strong roots before the ground freezes. I compared three varieties: Abura Komugi (a "wild" landrace), Karkov (a 126-year-old heritage grain), and AAC Gateway (modern variety) under varying drought (0 mM, 75 mM, 150 mM NaCl) and cold stress (7.5°, 15°), using high-contrast imaging to analyze root characteristics. Surprisingly, Karkov outperformed modern varieties, suggesting that older genetics may hold the secret to building resilient root systems needed to survive future climate stress and that root systems may be overshadowed by yield in the modern plant breeding process.

Awards (2)

• Bronze Medal
• Selected for CWSF 2026

Competition history

• CWSF 2026 Agriculture, Fisheries & Food

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