NWO VIDI-award for research into plant resilience

Dr. Kaisa Kajala, affiliated to the Faculty of Science receives funding for her project 'How do roots protect themselves?'

With the grant the Vidi laureate will do research on how plants protect their roots from damage. 

By understanding how plants protect themselves, we can grow crops that are more resistant to adverse conditions.

Many crops, such as tomato, have a root cell layer that strengthens the roots and protects against drought and flooding. Kaisa Kajala from the faculty of Science, will use molecular tools to study how the strengthening of this layer is controlled on genetic level. This knowledge can be used for breeding more tolerant crops.