Short presentation

I am leading the research group Belowground Crop Ecology. We focus on belowground interactions between roots and their surrounding environment, contributing to the development of resilient cropping systems with efficient resource use.

My main research focus and interest is sustainable crop production and resource use efficiency. I focus on locally produced protein crops e.g. grain legumes such as faba bean (IMFABA) and on forage legumes such as clover and lucerne. With an emphasis on root growth and activity, I aim to contribute to determining future breeding targets increasing crop resilience to abiotic stresses such as drought and thereby yield stability.

I was part of the DeepFrontier research project with the overall aim to increase the exploitation of the subsoil resources by deep roots in order to enhance food production in a sustainable way. In this project, I was responsible for developing and testing new methods for studying root growth and resource uptake (water and different plant nutrients) from deep soil layers (1 to 5m depth). In the study of deep roots, we are working with different tracers and isotopes as well as methods dependent on DNA extraction from the soil. 

In addition, prior research activities have focused on crop and cropping system nitrogen use efficiency and how G×E×M interactions affect this. The studies have included both field studies and model simulation studies.

Teaching is a significant part of my work and I am Head of Studies for the MSc in Agriculture.

I am responsible for the BSc course Afgrødelære (Crop Science) and the MSc course European Farm and Food Systems. Furthermore, I teach at the BSc course Naturressourcer og Økologi (Natural Resources and Ecology) and the MSc course Advanced Crop Production.