Fantao Zhang

Biography

Fantao Zhang is a Associate Professor in College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Normal University; he is Research Fellow, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. PI: Chu Chengcai; recieved his Ph.D from Agricultural College, Sichuan Agriculture University; Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; completed M.S. Agricultural College, Sichuan Agriculture University; completed B.A. Agricultural College, Sichuan Agriculture University.

Research Interest

Crop sciences, plant agriculture must change fundamentally by mid-century, when 9 billion people are expected to inhabit the planet, consuming 70-100% more food than is currently available. Water is the primary limiting factor in global agriculture, yet water availability and quality are diminishing for crops as cities grow and as irrigation and land-clearing salinize the soil and the underlying water tables. The problems of water deficit, salt, and other abiotic stresses are exacerbated by global warming and climate change. The looming gap between water supply and demand creates a need for major advances in crop adaptation to drought and salt stresses through increased water-use efficiency and tolerance to saline soil. Our current and future research is aimed at improving our understanding of the drought, cold and heat, and salt-stress signaling pathways and resistance mechanisms.