Crop Physiology

Overview

The overall goal of  the crop physiology research is to improve production systems' sustainability in Virginia and mid-Atlantic region. This has been accomplished through research addressing abiotic stress adaptation of field crops and development of high-throughput phenotypic methods, and participation in nationally recognized Multi-State Hatch projects, S 1069 and S 1079.

The research focusses on phenomics of the currently grown crops, with emphasis on peanut, and future crops to fit the Commonwealth environment. This has been driven by climate change along with the lack of knowledge in plant adaptation to drought and heat during otherwise “good rainy” years. Employing direct and aerial measurements of the plant physiological, morphological, and agronomic characteristics, this research determined that water is undoubtedly a significant factor limiting yield in the sub-humid Virginia, where each degree Centigrade increase in temperature (5˚C increase is expected by 2080) can reduce peanut yield by 11%.

Additionally, Dr. Balota and her team are piloting a $2.7 million multistate project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crops Research Initiative to introduce the faba bean as a sustainable fall and winter crop in the mid-Atlantic region. 

Helpful links: