Researchers at the University of Missouri have discovered SRFR1, a protein found in plants that holds a significant role in determining root length. Understanding how to regulate root growth can ensure resilient crops in the face of environmental effects, such as drought.
Jianbin Su, Walter Gassmann and their colleagues at Mizzou’s Bond Life Sciences Center have discovered that by slightly modifying the naturally occurring protein, plants can grow longer or shorter roots, allowing them to reach the water that is found deeper in soil.
Gassmann said this holds promising effects on crop growth during drought seasons.
“A drought doesn't come suddenly,” Gassmann said. “The soil slowly dries out, and the water level goes deeper and deeper into the soil. So as long as the plant can adjust, it can still survive, but if the root never reaches any water, then, you know, you're basically out of luck, and you won't have any yield at all.”
Gassmann said plants monitor their environment constantly, and being able to adapt to any given stress will greatly increase their chance of proper growth. Many stresses are caused by climate change and its resulting effects, such as drought and dry soil.
December 2025 was one of Missouri’s driest, and meteorologist Kesley Kobielusz said the impact of low crop yield due to drought can hurt local farms.
“It can also put more of a stress on not only the plants, but [the farms] too,” said Kobielusz. “Because then they're going to have to spend more [time] watering the plants instead of letting the rain do it, and so it leads to an increased water cost. It's more work for them, it's more difficult for them to do.”
Su, Gassmann and their team hope their work can provide a toolkit for biotech companies to develop seed lines that can adapt to various environmental stresses. This would ensure future crop varieties have better access to deeper moisture during dry stretches, helping local farms remain productive even as drought conditions become more extreme.
