New NSF funded research aims to improve crop heat resilience
A new collaborative research team of plant scientists, led by Dr. Ru Zhang from the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, has received funding from the National Science Foundation to study how photosynthetic cells retain “heat stress memory” (HSM). This research could play a crucial role in developing crops capable of surviving extreme heat conditions.
Photosynthesis—the process by which plants turn sunlight into energy—is vital for global food production. However, it is highly sensitive to high temperatures that reduce plant growth and yields. Scientists still have limited understanding of how plants adapt to repeated heat exposure at the cellular and genetic level.
“Plants often face the same stresses repeatedly, yet they have remarkable strategies for maintaining stress memory and recovering growth,” said Zhang. “By learning how photosynthetic cells ‘respond to and ‘remember’ heat at a molecular and genetic level, we can lay the foundation for future approaches to strengthen crop performance under high temperatures.”
The team will use advanced technologies, including genome-scale and high-throughput methods, to investigate how heat stress memory is regulated. Unlike earlier studies based on short-term stress or artificial environments, this project will examine multi-generational HSM using both algae and soil-grown plants in realistic conditions.
Co-investigators include Dr. Xuehua Zhong of Washington University and Dr. Jianlin Cheng of the University of Missouri. Beyond research, the project supports student education, mentorship, and the creation of open computational tools, expanding the impact of plant science innovation.
Founded in 1998, the Danforth Center’s mission is to improve lives through plant science, focusing on food security and environmental sustainability.
Photo Credit: istock-pkujiahe