About the Project
HEROCROP sets out to strengthen the resilience of European cropping systems against combined climate and biological stresses, focusing on wheat, pea and field tomato. It addresses a real gap: crops are usually evaluated against a single stress at a time, while conditions in the field involve combinations of abiotic and biotic constraints.
Building on existing genetic diversity, and in particular on the local varieties that are often overlooked, the project looks for the adaptation levers that hold most promise in different European climate contexts. It aims to predict more accurately how crops will behave as the climate shifts, and to give farmers and breeders what they need to make better informed choices. In the longer run HEROCROP contributes to food security, to soil health, and to a more sustainable and resilient agriculture in Europe.
