Lucia Gutierrez, professor of crop breeding and crop diversity

Lucia Gutierrez's research field is plant breeding, and she investigates the biological “machinery” that plants use to survive environmental stress. She explores how plants communicate with their neighbours – from other plants to helpful soil microbes – to improve soil health and long-term crop yields. Simultaneously, she decodes how crops sense physical threats like drought, heat, and cold. By identifying the specific genes that trigger these survival mechanisms, she makes it possible to breed stable, high-performing varieties that empower farmers to thrive in an increasingly unpredictable climate.

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• Download portrait of Lucia Gutierrez Photo: Johanna Grundström

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