Activities

Researchers monitored field conditions with sensors and measured the yield of different maize hybrids to make a statistical model for predicting the yield of each hybrid, taking into account its genes and the environmental characteristics of an area. This model will help to characterise genetic resources so as to improve breeding programmes and obtain new hybrids which will be more adapted to climate change. The model will also be very useful for farmers to assess which hybrids will produce more yield in a certain plot and thus help them to adapt their farm management and reduce the impact of climate change.

Additional information

Emilie J. Millet, Willem Kruijer, Aude Coupel-Ledru, Santiago Alvarez Prado, Llorenç Cabrera- Bosquet, Sébastien Lacube, Alain Charcosset, Claude Welcker, Fred van Eeuwijk, François Tardieu Genomic prediction of maize yield across European environmental scenarios Nature Genetics, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-019-0414-y



Parent B, Leclere M, Lacube M, Semenov MA, Welcker C, Martre P, Tardieu F (2018). Maize yields over Europe may increase in spite of climate change, with an appropriate use of the genetic variability of flowering time Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A115, 10642-10647