Despite the current focus on aboveground traits, roots and their interaction with soil play a crucial role in mitigating climate change. Novel crop cultivars that are resilient to environmental stress, through improved root traits and interactions with the soil,
will be critical to support the EU Green Deal goals and the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies.

Breeding companies need to deliver these novel crop varieties to ensure that farmers have the genetic tools necessary to deliver food security and environmental stewardship in more extreme and variable climate. Root2Res is contributing to this goal by developing tools and knowledge that will help breeders to deliver new crop varieties, with improved root traits, that are resilient to environmental stresses. However, policy incentives are essential to ensure this.

This policy brief provides relevant background information and key policy recommendations.