Phenomics

At the Helmholtz Zentrum München we aim to understand on a molecular level the interrelation between biotic and abiotic stress responses and plant health and productivity. This knowledge will facilitate to devise strategies how genetic resources and beneficial microbes/fungi can be used to mitigate adverse effects of pollution, nutrient deprivation and climate stress. The complex question of how genomic (G) and environmental (E) factors interact to produce a given phenotype (P) (G x E → P) are addressed by an integrated multi-scale research approach that ranges from genome analysis PGSB to a versatile environmental simulation platform. It utilizes interactome network analysis INET and in-depth mechanistic BIOP and BGC studies to understand the dynamic molecular connectivity that shape plant phenotypes. This principal question is addressed more specifically in the context of water and nutrient deprivation and plant immunity including multipartite environmental interactions, e.g. with the microbiome and insects.