Caitlyn Byrt 2017 Science

Caitlyn Byrt

admin2017 Winner, Science

Caitlin has identified genes in wheat that contribute to salinity tolerance. By breeding one of these genes into commercial durum wheat varieties, we successfully increased the grain yield on saline soils by 25%. Her work is looking at what makes some plants more tolerant than others, and testing how we can use this information to modify our food crops to improve their performance in harsh environments.