Did you know crops can hold their breath under water?

While European farmers face recurrent droughts, this year many farmers suffer from waterlogged fields. Some plants have anatomical and morphological adaptations to excess water. But most crops suffer from water submergence or soil air pockets logged for too long. This oxygen deficiency in the field is like trying to breathe underwater without diving equipment. 

To help develop flood-resilient crops, scientists investigate how plants use a molecular warning system to trigger the low oxygen survival mode [1;2]. It’s a natural sensing and responding mechanism to shift metabolic gear to “hold breath” underwater. Not all crops have such ability. Understanding this flood anticipatory response could help breed tolerant crops that can thrive despite flood episodes. Enabling plant breeding innovations, such as genome editing, is essential to efficiently incorporate these learnings into local and modern varieties and to support farmers in flood-prone areas. The increasing frequency of extreme weather underscores the need to strengthen crop breeding efforts.

[1] A tale of three gases - how plants prepare to survive flooding | University of Nottingham
[2] Research Reveals How Plants Survive Flooding | UC RIVERSIDE