Research interests in the JLU Giessen Department of Plant Breeding cover various aspects of quantitative and molecular genetics, genomics and breeding of oilseed rape, sorghum, faba bean, wheat and barley. Currently the department comprises three senior scientists, three additional postdocs and 14 PhD students, assisted by numerous technicians, MSc and BSc students. Most of our projects are funded by grants from DFG, The Humboldt Foundation, BMBF, BMEL/FNR, EU and GFPi along with additional private-public partnerships and scholarships.
Since April 2023 our department is leading IRTG 2843 "Accelerating Crop Genetic Gain", an International Research Training Group with the University of Queensland, Australia. Our main research focus is on implementation and development of genomic, phenomic and biotechnological innovations to improve response to selection in major crop plants. At agricultural research stations in Rauischholzhausen and Gross Gerau we run field trials and variety testing for several crop species along with a sorghum hybrid breeding programme. The Rauischholzhausen field station also houses our unique DroughtSpotter XXL precision plant phenotyping facility.
Qian L, Yang L, Liu X, Wang T, Kang L, Chen H, Lu Y, Zhang Y, Yang S, You L, Yao M, Xiang X, Cui K, Guo Y, Yang B, Yan M, Xia S, Meng J, Lin T, Mason AS, Snowdon RJ, Liu Z (2025) Natural variations in TT8 and its neighboring STK confer yellow seed with elevated oil content in Brassica juncea. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 122: e2417264122. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2417264122
Moritz A, Eckert A, Vukasovic S, Snowdon R, Stahl A (2024) Physiological phenotyping of transpiration response to vapour pressure deficit in wheat. BMC Plant Biology 24:1032. doi: 10.1186/s12870-024-05692-3
Wang TC, Rose T, Zetzsche H, Ballvora A, Friedt W, Kage H, Léon J, Lichthardt C, Ordon F, Snowdon RJ, Stahl A, Stützel H, Wittkop B, Chen TW (2025) Multi-environment field trials for wheat yield, stability and breeding progress in Germany. Sci Data 12, 64. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-024-04332-7
Jayakodi M*, Golicz AA*, Kreplak J*, Fechete L, Angra D, Bednář P, Bornhofen E, Zhang H, Boussageon R, Kaur S, Cheung K, Čížková J, Gundlach H, Hallab A, Imbert B, Keeble-Gagnere G, Koblížková A, Kobrlová L, Krejčí P, Mouritzen T, Neumann P, Nadzieja M, Nielsen L, Novak P, Orabi J, Padmarasu S, Robertson-Shersby-Harvie S, Robledillo L, Schiemann A, Tanskanen J, Törönen P, Warsame A, Wittenberg A, Himmelbach A, Aubert G,-Emmanuel Courty P, Doležel J, Holm L, Janss L, Khazaei H, Macas J, Mascher M, Smýkal P, Snowdon R, Stein N, Stoddard F, Stougaard J, Tayeh N, Torres A, Usadel B, Schubert I, O'Sullivan D, Schulman A, Andersen S (2023) The giant diploid faba genome unlocks variation in a global protein crop. Nature 615: 652-659, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-05791-5
W3 Professor and Chair of Plant Breeding, JLU Giessen (since April 2013)
Honorary Doctorate (Dr. h.c.), Iasi University of Life Science, Romania
Honorary Professorships at The University of Queensland, Australia, Southwest University, Chongqing, China and Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
Breeding/genomics of oilseed rape, sorghum, wheat, barley and faba bean
Genetic and genomic dissection of complex traits
Trait prediction from multi-dimensional "omics" data
Structural genome variation and its influence on quantitative traits and crop evolution
Selected recent publications
Sabir K, Rose T, Wittkop B, Stahl A, Snowdon RJ, Ballvora A, Friedt W, Kage H, Léon J, Ordon F, Stützel H, Zetzsche H, Chen T-W (2023) Stage-specific genotype-by-environment interactions determine yield components in wheat. Nature Plants, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-023-01516-8
Jayakodi M, Golicz AA, Kreplak J, Fechete L, Angra D, Bednář P, Bornhofen E, Zhang H, Boussageon R, Kaur S, Cheung K, Čížková J, Gundlach H, Hallab A, Imbert B, Keeble-Gagnere G, Koblížková A, Kobrlová L, Krejčí P, Mouritzen T, Neumann P, Nadzieja M, Nielsen L, Novak P, Orabi J, Padmarasu S, Robertson-Shersby-Harvie S, Robledillo L, Schiemann A, Tanskanen J, Törönen P, Warsame A, Wittenberg A, Himmelbach A, Aubert G,-Emmanuel Courty P, Doležel J, Holm L, Janss L, Khazaei H, Macas J, Mascher M, Smýkal P, Snowdon R, Stein N, Stoddard F, Stougaard J, Tayeh N, Torres A, Usadel B, Schubert I, O'Sullivan D, Schulman A, Andersen S (2023) The giant diploid faba genome unlocks variation in a global protein crop. Nature 615: 652-659, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-05791-5
Tan X, Peng Y, Xiong F, Zhang Y, Ye J, Guo N, Tu Z, Zong Z, Wu X, Ye J, Xia C, Zhu T, Liu Y, Liu D, Lu S, Yao X, Liu K, Snowdon RJ, Golicz AA, Xie W, Guo L, Zhao H (2022) Comprehensive transcriptional variability analysis reveals gene networks regulating seed oil content of Brassica napus. Genome Biology 7: 233, https://doi.org/10.1186/s13059-022-02801-z
Mufumbo R, Chakrabarty S, Nyine M, Windpassinger SM, Mulumba JW, Baguma Y, Odong LT, Frisch M, Snowdon RJ (2022) Genomics‐based assembly of a sorghum bicolor (L.) moench core collection in the Uganda national genebank as a genetic resource for sustainable sorghum breeding. Genet Resour Crop Evol, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-022-01513-4
Nelson MN, Nesi N, Barrero JM, Fletcher AL, Greaves IK, Hughes T, Laperche A, Snowdon R, Rebetzke JR, Kirkegaard JA (2022) Strategies to improve field establishment of canola: a review. Advances in Agronomy, https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.agron.2022.05.001
The focus of my research is to develop abiotic stress tolerance in crop plants using genome editing. I have working experience in different plant species such as sugarcane, rice, wheat, tobacco, tomato, petunia, N benthamiana and A thaliana as well as wild relatives of sugarcane Erianthus spp. and Spontaneum spp. For the development of abiotic stress tolerance in crop plants 1) overexpression of drought responsive genes under the control of stress inducible promoter and 2) genome editing using CRISPR-Cas9. Now I am focusing more on Triticum durum and Vicia faba.
July 2018 – June 2020 Project coordinator (Postdoctoral researcher), Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
June 2016 – June 2018 Postdoctoral researcher, Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
June 2016 – June 2020 Visiting scientist, Fraunhofer IME, Aachen, Germany
July 2015 – March 2016 Postdoctoral researcher, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
Grants and Fellowships
2020 – 2023 WheatAdapt: Adapting wheat to abiotic stress via stress-responsive membrane stabilization (DFG, AOBJ: 668916).
2020 – 2022 Just’us fellowship.
2018-2020 ASTRA: Delivery of Ribonucleoproteins through Cavitation Bubble Induced Shock Wave and Improved Event Screening for Fast Regeneration of Abiotic Stress Tolerant Crop Plants (BMBF, FKZ- 031B0536).
Skills/Expertise/Interests
Genome editing for the development of abiotic stress tolerance using CRISPR-Cas9 technique
Development of abiotic stress tolerance using transgenic technology
Augustine SM, Cherian AV, Seiling K, Di Fiore S, Raven N, Commandeur U, Schillberg S (2021). Targeted mutagenesis in Nicotiana tabacum ADF gene using shockwave-mediated ribonucleoprotein delivery increases osmotic stress tolerance. Physiologia Plantarum. 173(3):993-1007.
Jansing J, Sack M, Augustine SM, Fischer R, Bortesi L. (2018). CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of six glycosyltransferase genes in Nicotiana benthamiana for the production of recombinant proteins lacking β-1,2-xylose and core α-1,3-fucose. Plant Biotechnology Journal. 17(2):350-361.
Reischauer S, Stone OA, Villasenor A, Chi N, Jin SW, Martin M, Lee MT, Fukuda N, Marass M, Witty A, Fiddes I, Kuo T, Chung WS, Salek S, Lerrigo R, Alsiö J, Luo S, Tworus D, Augustine SM, Mucenieks S, Nystedt B, Giraldez AJ, Schroth GP, Andersson O, Stainier DY(2016). Cloche is a bHLH-PAS transcription factor that drives haemato-vascular specification. Nature.535 (7611):294-8.
Cherian AV, Fukuda R, Augustine SM, Maischein H-M, and Stainier DY (2016). N-cadherin relocalization during cardiac trabeculation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 113 (27):7569-74.
Augustine SM, Cherian AV, Syamaladevi DP, Subramonian N. (2015): Erianthus arundinaceus HSP70 (EaHSP70) acts as a key regulator in the formation of anisotropic interdigitation in sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrid) in response to drought stress. Plant and Cell Physiology. 56 (12):2368-80.
Augustine SM, Narayan JA, Syamaladevi DP, Appunu C, Chakravarthi M, Ravichandran V, Subramonian N. (2015): Erianthus arundinaceus HSP70 (EaHSP70) overexpression increases drought and salinit y tolerance in sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrid). Plant Science. 232: 23–34.
Augustine SM, Narayan JA, Syamaladevi DP, Appunu C, Chakravarthi M, Ravichandran V, Tuteja N, Subramonian N. (2015): Overexpression of EaDREB2 and pyramiding with the pea DNA Helicase gene PDH45 enhance drought and salinity tolerance in sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrid). Plant Cell Reports. 34:247-263.
Augustine SM, Narayan JA, Syamaladevi DP, Appunu C, Chakravarthi M, Ravichandran V, Tuteja N, Subramonian N. (2015): Introduction of Pea DNA Helicase 45 into sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrid) enhances cell membrane thermostability and abiotic stress tolerance. Molecular Biotechnology. 57:475–488.
Augustine SM, Syamaladevi DP, Premachandran MN, Ravichandran V, Subramonian N. (2015): Physiological and Molecular Insights to Drought Responsiveness in Erianthus spp. Sugar Tech. 17(2):121-129.
Chakravarthi M., Syamaladevi DP., Harunipriya P, Augustine SM, Subramonian N. (2015). A novel PR10 promoter from Erianthus arundinaceus directs high constitutive transgene expression and is enhanced upon wounding in heterologous plant systems. Molecular Biology Reports. 43(1):17-30.
Contact information
Justus Liebig University
Department of Plant Breeding
IFZ Research Centre for Biosystems, Land Use and Nutrition
My research focuses on exploring GxExM interactions in relation to source-sink dynamics in winter wheat under abiotic stress conditions as part of the DFG-funded WheatSouSi project (Subproject 1). This includes collection and analysis of extensive phenotypic data from field trails and controlled experiments using our DroughtSpotterXXL platform. I aim to retrospectively investigate various traits under differing water and nitrogen levels to quantify their contribution to yield improvement in European winter wheat cultivars over the past six decades.
In addition, I am responsible for UAV-based phenotyping of the field trials conducted by the Department of Plant Breeding. This work involves the acquisition, processing, and analysis of RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, and LiDAR data.
Research Keywords
Winter wheat
Source-sink relationships
GxExM interactions
Drought stress
Nitrogen use efficiency
UAV-based phenotyping and data analysis
3D imaging and data analysis
Curriculum vitae
2023-present: PhD Student at Department of Plant Breeding, JLU Giessen
June 2024: Wheat initiative (WI) free student registration award for the 3rd International Wheat Congress in Perth, Australia
May 2023: International DLG price (Junior prize awarded by the German Agricultural Society (DLG))
2020-2023: MSc in Crop Sciences (Focus on plant breeding), Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Germany
June 2022: Wilhelm-Rimpau Price (2nd prize awarded by the German Agricultural Society (DLG) for BSc thesis)
2019-2022: Research assistant, Department of Plant Breeding, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen
2017-2020: BSc in Agricultural Sciences, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Germany
Contact details
Room B316
Department of Plant Breeding – IFZ Research Centre for Biosystems, Land Use and Nutrition
My main research interests are genetic diversity, breeding science and plant breeding including biotechnology, genetics and genomics, focusing on major crop plants such as barley (Hordeum vulgare), bread wheat (Triticum aestivum), sorghum (S. bicolor) and oilseed rape (Brassica napus).
Major research topics include i) the genetic basis of biomass and grain yield and future yield trends in crops (e.g. wheat), ii) genetic basis of heterosis, MS systems and hybrid breeding in winter barley, oilseed rape and sorghum, iii) relevance and importance of the structure and function of root systems for resource efficiency and agronomic performance of crop plants; iv) disease resistance and tolerance against environmental (abiotic) stresses such as drought and cold; v) seed development and major seed compounds (starch, lipids, protein, fibre) in oil- and protein crops.
Curriculum vitae
Since 2013 Emeritus Professor of Agronomy and Plant Breeding
1985-2013 Professor of Plant Breeding, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
1992-93, 98-99 Dean, Faculty for Agriculture & Environment Preservation, University of Giessen
1984 Habilitation, Genetics, University of Bayreuth, Germany
1983 Stipend of the Japan. Society for the Promotion of Science, Kyoto Univ., Japan
1979-1985 Lecturer for Plant Genetics, University of Bayreuth, Germany
1978 Doctorate at the Technical University of München, Germany
1971-1984 Senior Scientist, Institute for Resistance Genetics, BBA, Braunschweig, Germany
1968-71 Higher Studies of Agricultural Sciences, University of Bonn, Germany
Skills/Expertise /Research Keywords
Cereals: Wheat (T. aestivum), sorghum (S. bicolor), barley (H. vulgare)
Lipid biosynthesis and improvement of oil content and quality
Disease resistance and abiotic stress tolerance
Structure and function of plant root systems
Interspecific hybridization and polyploidy
Cytogenetics and genome analysis
QTL mapping and marker-assisted selection
Quantitative genetics (genomic selection)
Grants (selected)
2011-2014 BMELV/GFP: Verbesserung der Resistenz von Winterraps (Brassicanapus) gegen den durch Klimawandel geförderten Schadpilz Verticilliumlongisporum (Joint project)
2011-2014 BMBF/KBBE: CONVIGOUR - Controlling variation in germination and seed vigour in Oilseed rape for optimal quality yield stability (Joint project)
2009-2012 Bio-Energie 2021: Untersuchungen zur Kühletolerenz und Wassernutzungseffizienz bei Sorghum unter Einbeziehung der genetischen Diversität und züchterische Optimierung der Merkmale (Joint project)
2008-2010 BMELV/GFP: Entwicklung von molekularen Markern für die Züchtung von Hoch-Ölsäure-Winterraps mit Resistenz gegen Verticillium longisporum als Beitrag zur nachhaltigen Rapsölproduktion (Joint project)
2007-2010 DFG: Shifts in plant expression and corresponding phloem sap components during trilateral interaction of barley (Hordeum vulgare), aphid species (Rhopalosiphum padi) and the aphid-transmitted Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV)
Awards and scholarships
2015 Eminent Scientist Award,International Consultative Group for Research on Rapeseed (GCIRC), Saskatoon, Canada
2010 Innovation Award „Prof. Röbbelen“, Karl Eigen & Dr. h.c. Dietrich Brauer-Foundation, Berlin
2007 Normann-Medal, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Fettwissenschaft (DGF), Göteborg, Sweden
1983 Stipend of the Japan. Society for the Promotion of Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Japan
Selected Publications
Gottwald S, Samans B, Lück S, Friedt W(2012) Jasmonate and ethylene dependent defence gene expression and suppression of fungal virulence factors: Two essential mechanisms of Fusarium head blight resistance in wheat? BMC Genomics 13:369 (DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-13-369).
Obermeier C, Hossain MA, Snowdon R, Knüfer J, von Tiedemann A, Friedt W (2013) Genetic analysis of phenylpropanoid metabolites associated with resistance against Verticillium longisporum in Brassica napus. Molecular Breeding 31:347–361 (DOI 10.1007/s11032-012-9794-8)
Shiringani A, Friedt W(2011) QTL for fibre-related traits in grain x sweet sorghum as a tool for the enhancement of sorghum as a biomass crop. Theor Appl Genet 123: 999-1011 (DOI 10.1007/s00122-011-1642-4)
Windpassinger S, Friedt W, Frauen M, Snowdon R, Wittkop B (2015) Designing adapted sorghum silage types with an enhanced energy density for biogas generation in temperate Europe" Biomass and Bioenergy (accepted)
Fu Y, Wei D, Dong H, He Y, Cui Y, Mei J, Wan H, Li J, Snowdon R, Friedt W, Li X, Qian W (2015) Comparative quantitative trait loci for silique length and seed weight in Brassica napus. Scientific Reports (accepted)
Links
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.de/scholar?q=W+Friedt&btnG=&hl=de&as_sdt=0%2C5
Contact information
Dr. Wolfgang Friedt, Prof. em.
Plant Breeding Department
IFZ Research Centre for Biosystems, Land Use and Nutrition
The focus of my research is disease resistance of crop plants, especially quantitatively inherited resistance against fungal pathogens of oilseed rape. My research covers classical and genomics-based genetic approaches for dissection of complex traits. I am interested in understanding the molecular and metabolic networks and biological functions involved in qualitative and quantitative disease resistance expression in crop plants.
Research Keywords
Fungal disease resistance in oilseed rape and wheat
Molecular marker development in oilseed rape, wheat, pea, common bean
Impact of structural genome variation on quantitatively inherited agronomic traits
Disease phenotyping
Genetics of complex traits in crop plants
Genomics-assisted breeding
Skills/Expertise/Interests
Next generation sequencing, high-throughput genotyping, bioinformatics, analysis of transcriptome and genome variation, metabolomics, disease resistance, QTL mapping, TILLING, CrisprCas
Selected Publications
Obermeier C, Mason AS, Meiners T, Petschenka G, Rostas M, Will T, Wittkop B, Austel N (2022) Perspectives for integrated insect pest protection in oilseed rape breeding. Theor Appl Genet, doi: 10.1007/s00122-022-04074-3
Vollrath P, Chawla HS, Alnajar D, Gabur I, Lee HT, Weber S, Ehrig L, Koopmann B, Snowdon RJ, Obermeier C (2021) Dissection of Quantitative Blackleg Resistance Reveals Novel Variants of Resistance Gene Rlm9 in Elite Brassica napus. Front Plant Sci 12: 749491. doi:10.3389/fpls.2021.749491
Vollrath P, Chawla HS, Schiessl SV, Gabur I, Lee HT, Snowdon RJ, Obermeier C (2021) A novel deletion in FLOWERING LOCUS T modulates flowering time in winter oilseed rape. Theor Appl Genet, 134: 1217–1231, doi: 10.1007/s00122-021-03768-4
Makhoul M, Rambla C, Voss-Fels KP, Hickey LT, Snowdon RJ, Obermeier C (2020) Overcoming polyploidy pitfalls: A user guide for effective SNP conversion into KASP markers in wheat. Theor Appl Genet 133: 2413–2430, doi: 10.1007/s00122-020-03608-x
Gabur I, Chawla HS, von Tiedemann A, Snowdon RJ, Obermeier C (2020) Gene presence-absence associates with quantitative Verticillium longisporum disease resistance in Brassica napus. Scientific Reports 10: 4131, doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-61228-3
Gabur I, Chawla H, Liu X, Kumar V, Faure S, Tiedemann A, Jestin C, Dyrszka E, Volkmann S, Breuer F, Delourme R, Snowdon R, Obermeier C (2018) Finding invisible quantitative trait loci with missing data. Plant Biotech J 16: 2102–2112, doi: 10.1111/pbi.12942
Obermeier C, Hossain MA, Snowdon R, Knüfer R, von Tiedemann A, Friedt W (2013) Genetic analysis of phenylpropanoid metabolites associated with resistance against Verticillium longisporum in Brassica napus. Mol Breeding 31: 347–361, doi: 10.1007/s11032-012-9794-8
Contact information
Dr. Christian Obermeier
Justus Liebig University
Department of Plant Breeding
IFZ Research Centre for Biosystems, Land Use and Nutrition
The DroughtSpotter XXL, located at JLU's Agricuzltural Research Station in Rauischholzhausen, is a unique precision phenotyping facility for detailed investigation of drought stress responses in crop plants in a semi-controlled, field-like environment. The facility comprises 240 large plant containers, each filled with around 180kg of homogenised field soil mixed with sand and planted with the crop of interest in a miniature plot formation at field planting density. A fully automated watering system facilitates individual maintenance of every container at a pre-determined field water capacity level, with adjustments possible at any time during the growing season for implementation of specific drought scenarios.
The facility is located in a foil house with open sides to exclude rainfall but maintain more or less ambient temperature, airflow, humidity and insect visitation. Previous comparisons with multi-location field trials demonstrated that plot yields in the containers correlate well with field yields (Hohmann et al. 2016), meaning that the facility can generate data on beneficial drought stress responses relevant for yield under real-life conditions. Each container is placed on a precise gravimetric scale that automatically measures the weight of the container at 5-minute intervals, from sowing until harvest, in order to precisely track daily transpiration dynamics in response to ambient temperature and humidity changes, which are simultaneously tracked by multiple data-loggers placed throughout the facility.
In 2023, with funding from the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG) and the European Regional Development Fund (EFRE), the facility was upgraded with an automated multispectral 3D-imaging platform that is able to scan every container multiple times per day and generate 3-dimensional RGB and multispectral reflectance point-cloud images of the plants in each container. This enables us to investigate the relationship of dynamic plant architecture traits and spectral indices, at specific developmental times, to genotype-specific transpiration behaviour and water use patterns. So far the facility has been used to identify and elucidate interesting drought response traits for breeding of faba bean, rapeseed and wheat.
The DroughtSpotter XXL facility is currently fully booked with planned experiments until at least summer 2028. For information about potential cooperations (e.g. joint analysis of multispectral or transpiration data) or for information about potential use of the platform after 2028, please contact Rod Snowdon.
Funding
The automated 3D imaging platform, comprising a custom-built WIWAM phenotyper (SMO, BE) carrying a Dual PlantEye 600 3D plant scanner (Phenospex, NL), was installed with the help of research infrastructure grant 461868281 from the German Research Foundation (DFG) and co-funding from the European Fund for Rural Development (EFRE).
Literature
Hohmann M, Stahl A, Rudloff J, Wittkop B, Snowdon RJ (2016) Not a load of rubbish: Simulated field trials in large-scale containers. Plant Cell Environ 39: 2064-2073, doi: 10.1111/pce.12737
Moritz A, Eckert A, Vukasovic S, Snowdon R, Stahl A (2024) Physiological phenotyping of transpiration response to vapour pressure deficit in wheat. BMC Plant Biology 24:1032. doi: 10.1186/s12870-024-05692-3Moritz A, Eckert A, Vukasovic S, Snowdon R, Stahl A (2024) Physiological phenotyping of transpiration response to vapour pressure deficit in wheat. BMC Plant Biology 24:1032. doi: 10.1186/s12870-024-05692-3
Stahl A, Wittkop B, Snowdon RJ (2020) High-resolution digital phenotyping of water uptake and transpiration efficiency. Trends Plant Sci 25: 429-433, doi: 10.1016/j.tplants.2020.02.001
