Harper Adams University is screening lettuce, brassica, coriander, carrot and onion varieties for traits that could protect crop production under extreme heat and water stress.
Researchers at Harper Adams University are working to identify crop traits that could help new vegetable varieties withstand drought and extreme heat, strengthening UK food security as growing conditions become more challenging.
The work focuses on identifying naturally resilient varieties, wild crop ancestors and landraces whose valuable characteristics could be introduced into commercially viable crops.
Crops Face Exceptional Growing Conditions
Professor of Crop Science Jim Monaghan, Director of the University’s Centre for Crop and Environmental Science, said: “We are growing crops in the most challenging conditions for generations.
“Drought has been declared across the entirety of Wales and more than half of England. For some areas of Southern England, July of 2026 has been pronounced the driest month ever recorded by the Met Office. In addition to these exceedingly dry conditions, heatwaves have also been a regular occurrence throughout spring and summer.
“Both lack of rainfall and abnormally high temperatures are detrimental to crop production, because these stressful growing conditions reduce yields and quality.
“Arable crops have been hit hard this season – but even irrigated crops like potatoes and vegetables are being stressed by high temperatures and the challenges of getting enough water to the field at the right time.”
As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of droughts and heatwaves, researchers believe crop varieties with greater stress resilience will be needed to protect future production.
Screening Crops for Resilient Traits
The Vegetable Genetic Improvement Network (VeGIN) was established to support the development of vegetable varieties with improved stress resilience. The DEFRA-funded initiative brings together Harper Adams University and the University of Warwick Crop Centre, according to a press release.
Dr. Andrew Beacham, Senior Lecturer and VeGIN lead at Harper Adams, added: “VeGIN research at Harper Adams consists of the design of tests to analyse the resilience of vegetable plants against various abiotic stresses, including simulated droughts and heatwaves.
“These are then used to screen collections of genetically and physiologically diverse varieties, including wild ancestors and landraces – which are, essentially, a variety of a crop which has adapted to a specific local area.
“The tests identify valuable traits and their underlying genes, which can then be bred into commercially viable varieties.”
Lettuce, Brassica and Coriander Show Useful Characteristics
The research has already identified promising stress-resilience traits across several vegetable crops.
Dr. Ashley Garrison, VeGIN Researcher, said: “Over the last year, we have identified the lettuce varieties which are most resilient to heat and drought stress, brassica lines that grow deeper root systems to potentially increase water uptake, and coriander varieties that are resilient to heat-induced flowering.
“Current work is focussing on finding advantageous rooting traits in carrots and onions that could confer improved stress resilience.
“Pre-breeding research, such as VeGIN, generates the foundational knowledge of crop traits and their underlying genetics that makes the development of improved varieties possible.
“Such research can, therefore, play a key role in developing stress resilient sustainable crop varieties and helping arable farming to adapt during climate change.”
Carrot and Onion Root Systems Are the Next Focus
Current work is examining whether advantageous rooting traits in carrots and onions could improve their ability to cope with heat and limited water.
By connecting these crop characteristics with their underlying genetics, the researchers aim to provide breeders with the knowledge needed to develop productive vegetable varieties suited to increasingly stressful growing conditions.
