Thanks to the good weather, we were able to plant our maize field at the University of Bonn's experimental station on May 2, 2024.

Danning worked in her project on genetic basis and environmental regulation of root-microbiome associations in maize.

Tiny organisms such as bacteria and fungi help to promote the health and function of plant roots. It is commonly assumed that the composition of these microbes is dependent on the properties of the soil. However, an international team of researchers led by the University of Bonn has now discovered when studying different local varieties of maize that the genetic makeup of the plants also helps to influence which microorganisms cluster around the roots. The results, which have now been published in the prestigious journal Nature Plants, could help to breed future varieties of maize that are better suited to drought and limited nutrients.

Prof. Alexander Lipka from the University of Illinois will give a talk with the title “Lipka Lab: addressing key challenges of crop sciences through quantitative genetics”.