Designing Drought Tolerant Specialty Crops Using Metabolic Modeling

Droughts aren’t just an occasional dry spell—they’re a growing reality of our changing climate. In agriculture-heavy states like California, water scarcity could spell disaster for many specialty crops. Discover how cutting-edge research aims to give farmers the resilience they need to adapt, survive, and thrive in an increasingly arid environment.

We recommend that you read this article, watch the educational video and podcast for more insights, and then complete the survey below.

Take the Survey

The Drought Dilemma

Water shortages caused by climate change are predicted to cause steep drops in yields—anywhere from 20% to 40% for valuable crops like avocados, oranges, walnuts, almonds, and table grapes. In California, this is more than just a setback. It’s a fundamental challenge to a massive agricultural economy that feeds millions across the nation.

While many solutions—like shifting irrigation practices or implementing water-saving technologies—have merit, they are often reactive. We need a more proactive, long-lasting strategy to adapt crops themselves so they can endure the harsher growing conditions that lie ahead.

Introducing Metabolic Modeling

The “Designing Drought Tolerant Specialty Crops Using Metabolic Modeling” project uses a state-of-the-art approach to pinpoint the exact metabolic pathways that help plants survive with less water. By mapping a plant’s genetic and biochemical blueprint, scientists can figure out the precise “levers” to pull—whether by applying certain nutrient amendments or eventually engineering new varieties—to boost a plant’s drought tolerance.

Listen the Podcast

What Is a Metabolic Model?

Think of a metabolic model as a detailed map of all the chemical reactions inside a plant. It shows scientists where energy gets spent, where nutrients go, and which genes flip the switches on these vital processes. Armed with these models, researchers can quickly zero in on how to cultivate or create crops that use water more efficiently and recover from stress more effectively.

From Data to Drought-Tolerant Crops

Genome Sequencing & Annotation: The team sequences the genomes of plants known to show promising drought responses.
Omics Analysis (RNA-Seq & Metabolomics): By examining the plant’s gene expression and the metabolites it produces, researchers identify the pathways that activate under drought conditions.
Building the Model: All this data feeds into the metabolic models. Think of it like building a complex puzzle that reveals how water stress reshapes a plant’s entire biochemistry.
Designing Solutions:
- Short-Term: Nutrient amendments that activate the right metabolic pathways to help plants cope with lower water availability.
- Long-Term: Breeding or engineering new varieties specifically tuned to thrive under drought conditions.

Why It Matters

Securing Our Food Supply: If these methods work in citrus or grapes, the same general principles could be applied to many specialty crops, ensuring a stable food supply.
Sustainability: Reduced reliance on constant irrigation means less strain on dwindling water resources.
Economic Stability: California’s specialty crop industry is a multibillion-dollar sector. Keeping yields high and losses low helps preserve local economies.

Join the Conversation

We believe collaboration between researchers, farmers, stakeholders, and the public is key to success.

Learn More: Watch our educational video and podcast, which dive deeper into the science behind metabolic modeling and what it means for drought tolerance.
Share Your Thoughts: Engage with us on social media, read our Blog Articles, add your opinion, and fill up the survey. Dr. Pagliaccia’s Outreach Program is designed to spark discussions about the potential and possible concerns surrounding crop engineering.
Take Our Survey: We value your input.

👉 Please take a few moments to complete our SURVEY on using metabolic modeling to create drought-tolerant specialty crops. Your feedback shapes the future of this research and ensures that we address public concerns and values.

Your Voice Matters

By filling out the survey and sharing your views, you play a critical part in guiding agricultural innovation. Together, we can ensure that California’s specialty crops—and the communities that rely on them—stand on solid ground, even as the climate changes around us.

Thank you for being part of this important conversation!

Note: This blog post is based on the educational materials from the research project titled “Designing Drought Tolerant Specialty Crops Using Metabolic Modeling.” For more information on all of Dr. Borneman’s and his collaborators’ research projects, visit https://www.labtofarm.org/bioengineering.

Meet the Team

The project’s core expertise spans universities and research centers, each bringing a unique perspective:

Professor James Borneman, University of California, Riverside (UCR). The main contact for this project. He oversees the overall direction, ensuring the research aligns with real-world grower needs.
Professor Karsten Zengler, Project Director at UC San Diego. The lead architect of the metabolic models. Professor Zengler’s team deciphers the genetic and biochemical processes that underlie drought resilience.
Professor Kranthi Mandadi, Co-PI at Texas A&M University. Oversees the practical drought stress experiments—where different crop varieties face simulated drought conditions, generating critical data for the models.
Dr. Robert Krueger, Contractor (USDA-ARS). Based at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Citrus at UC Riverside. He grows and maintains the experimental plant stock, crucial for the hands-on aspects of this research and for carrying out the drought stress experiments.
Dr. Deborah Pagliaccia, Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI). A scientist directing and participating in the Education & Outreach Program. She helps bridge the gap between the lab’s discoveries and the wider community.