Group of Crops Engineering and Biotechnology, Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic

Véronique Bergougnoux is a senior researcher of the Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (CATRIN) at Palacký University Olomouc in the Olomouc, Czech Republic.  As a plant biologist, she obtained her Ph.D degree from the University Jean Monnet in Saint-Etienne, France. She moved to Olomouc in Czech Republic in 2007. She has expertise in molecular biology and physiology, CRISPR-Cas9 mediated gene knock-out, recombinant protein, transcriptomic and light microscopy. Currently, her main activities include regulation of plant growth and development under drought, hormone signaling, root system architecture and modification of straw composition in barley. She is also involved in the Czech ISS experiments initiative to study the early development of barley under microgravity.

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Keynote Details

Wednesday 1^st July

Symposium 24: Sustainable strategies in agriculture

Engineering barley for enhanced photosynthetic performance and straw valorization: insights from the BEST-CROP project

Improving crop productivity while enhancing the value of agricultural residues is a key challenge for sustainable agriculture and bio-based economies. The BEST-CROP project aims to develop innovative strategies to increase barley productivity and optimize straw composition for downstream applications. By integrating plant physiology, genetics, and biotechnology, the project investigates multiple biological pathways influencing photosynthetic performance, biomass accumulation, and straw quality.

Several complementary targets are being explored, including modulation of ozone responsiveness, modification of canopy architecture through erect leaf traits to improve light interception, and metabolic pathways controlling lignin and protein biosynthesis in straw. Together, these approaches aim to enhance carbon assimilation and generate straw with improved nutritional and industrial value.

A central component of the project involves the use of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to create targeted knock-out lines for candidate genes associated with these traits. This strategy enables functional validation of genes influencing canopy structure, stress responses, and metabolic allocation, providing new insights into mechanisms controlling biomass production and straw composition.

Within this framework, particular attention is given to increasing protein accumulation in barley straw. Candidate genes involved in nitrogen allocation and protein regulation are being investigated, including ARE1, for which field trials are planned, and BT2. These studies aim to evaluate the impact of targeted gene manipulation on straw protein content and agronomic performance, supporting the development of barley cultivars suited for sustainable and circular bio-based value chains.