José Luis Araus Ortega

Research interests:
The productivity of the Mediterranean crops is limited by water scarcity and other abiotic stresses like the lack of nitrogen. A better understanding of the ecofisiological and metabolic mechanisms of plant response to abiotic stresses will help to increase the yield and adaptation of the Mediterranean crops, either through to the set up of new agronomic techniques of by means of crop breeding. On the other hand, the climatic change seems will affect particularly the Mediterranean basin. To know the evolution of the climatic and growth conditions of the Mediterranean crops from its origins may help to better understand the current challenges imposed to the Mediterranean crops by the ongoing climatic change.

Current research projects:
Project coordinator in the Spanish Projects: ‘Diez mil años de interacción clima – agricultura en el mediterráneo. Inferencias basadas en el análisis de restos arqueológicos agrícolas’. CGL2005-08175-C02-01/BOS (2005-2008) and ‘Aproximación multidisciplinar al incremento de la eficacia en la mejora del trigo duro: integración de técnicas ecofisiológicas y moleculares’ AGL2002-04285-C03-03 (2002-2006). Partner in several European projects dealing with crop physiology, breeding and agronomy of cereals for a better adaptation to Mediterranean conditions. Co-author of 90 papers in journals of the SCI and SSCI.