The researcher from CONICET at the Institute of Biological Research (IIB), Gabriela Pagnussat, was awarded the L’Oréal-UNESCO National Award “For Women in Science”, a recognition that has been given in Argentina for 19 years.
Her work proposes an innovative solution to tackle one of the greatest challenges of contemporary agriculture: the thermal stress caused by heatwaves.
A global problem for agriculture
Heatwaves pose an increasing threat to agricultural production. It is estimated that for every degree increase in the global average temperature, between 3% and 10% of agricultural production is lost, resulting in billion-dollar losses.
“In the world, more than 40 billion dollars annually are lost directly due to this phenomenon,” explained the CONICET researcher.
Extreme heat causes thermal stress and dehydration in plants, slows photosynthesis, wilts leaves, and can cause flowers and fruits to drop. Additionally, it accelerates the evaporation of water from the soil and damages cellular structure and plant metabolism.
The awarded project: biotechnology and thermal memory
Pagnussat’s project, titled “Towards heatwave-resistant crops: Activation of the SWAP splicing factor through CRISPR-dCAS9 technology”, seeks to develop plant lines capable of tolerating high temperatures.
The research focuses on genetic modification so that plants develop a “thermal stress memory”, allowing them to acclimate to heat from birth. This strategy could be applied not only to agricultural crops but also to various plant species, expanding its impact on global food security.
“This award opens a huge door for us to verify the scope of this promising new technology,” highlighted the scientist.
How heat affects plants
High temperatures generate multiple physiological and visible problems in crops:
Physiological problems
- Thermal stress: slows down or stops photosynthesis.
- Dehydration: accelerates the evaporation of water from the soil and leaves.
- Altered metabolism: inhibits germination, affects respiration, and destabilizes cell membranes.
- Reproductive damage: reduces pollen viability and causes abortion of flowers and fruits.
Visible problems
- Wilted leaves: fallen, curled, or dry at the edges.
- Slow growth: plants in “pause” due to root impact.
- Fruit drop: survival mechanism to conserve energy.
- Burns: damage to leaves and tender parts.
- Dry soil: rapid loss of moisture even with frequent irrigation.
Implications for the future
Pagnussat’s research not only seeks more resilient crops but also aims to provide solutions to climate change and its impacts on food security. The application of technologies such as CRISPR-dCAS9 opens new possibilities for agricultural biotechnology, offering tools to face increasingly frequent extreme heat scenarios.
The recognition of Gabriela Pagnussat reaffirms the role of Argentine science in global innovation. Her biotechnological project represents hope for millions of farmers and consumers by proposing crops capable of withstanding heatwaves and ensuring food production on an increasingly vulnerable planet.
