In the face of climate change, agriculture is under immense pressure to adapt and evolve. Enter Clara Gambart, a researcher at the Laboratory of Tropical Crop Improvement, Division of Crop Biotechnics at KU Leuven in Heverlee, Belgium. Her recent study, published in ‘Food and Energy Security’ (formerly known as ‘Food and Energy Security’), sheds light on a critical aspect of climate-smart agriculture: the diversity in base growth temperature among banana varieties. This research could revolutionize how we approach food security and energy efficiency in agriculture.
Gambart and her team focused on the world’s largest banana gene bank, evaluating 116 accessions using a high-throughput phenotyping installation called the BananaTainer. The goal? To understand the diversity in base temperature (Tbase) responses and their impact on plant performance in the East African highlands under projected climate scenarios.
The findings are striking. The study confirmed that there is significant genotypic diversity in temperature responses among banana varieties. “We found that 30% of the accessions showed a Tbase below the reference of 14°C,” Gambart explains. This means that a substantial portion of these banana varieties could thrive in cooler temperatures, a crucial adaptation trait as global temperatures rise.
The Mutika/Lujugira subgroup, native to the East African highlands, was particularly noteworthy. While it generally displayed a low Tbase, the study also revealed diversity within this subgroup. This intra-group variation is a goldmine for breeders aiming to develop climate-resilient varieties.
But the implications go beyond just agriculture. The energy sector, which is increasingly intertwined with agriculture, stands to benefit significantly. As Gambart notes, “Low temperature sensitivity/tolerance is related to the photosynthetic capacity.” This means that varieties with a lower Tbase could potentially require less energy for growth, reducing the carbon footprint of agriculture.
The study also introduces a high-throughput method to reveal genotypic diversity in temperature responses. This method could be a game-changer for future research, enabling scientists to quickly identify and utilize climate-smart varieties. As Gambart puts it, “This study significantly advances the debate of within-species diversity in temperature growth responses, while at the same time unlocking the power of gene banks.”
The commercial impacts are vast. Farmers could see increased yields and reduced energy costs, while the energy sector could benefit from more efficient agricultural practices. This research paves the way for a future where agriculture and energy are not just sustainable, but also resilient and efficient.