An international research team led by the Carlsberg Research Laboratory has identified a crucial gene that could help protect staple crops from the increasing risks posed by climate change. The findings, published in Science, offer a new approach to reduce pre-harvest sprouting – a phenomenon triggered by unpredictable weather and responsible for billions of dollars in crop losses globally each year.

Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) occurs when cereal grains such as barley, wheat or rice begin to germinate prematurely on the plant due to untimely rainfall or humidity. Once sprouting starts, grains lose processing quality and become more vulnerable to spoilage and fungal contamination, leaving them unsuitable for both human consumption and animal feed.

At the heart of the new discovery is the gene MKK3, which the research team found plays a central role in controlling seed dormancy. By mapping the diversity of MKK3 gene variants in barley from across the world and conducting extensive field trials, the researchers have created a roadmap for breeders to develop crop varieties that are better adapted to increasingly erratic weather patterns.

“Our work shows how centuries of farming and climate adaptation have shaped the genetic landscape of this vital crop and provides a roadmap for breeders to balance dormancy and sprouting risk – helping farmers everywhere grow better crops, even as weather becomes more unpredictable,” Christoph Dockter, Head of Cereal Crop Development at the Carlsberg Research Laboratory.

The study combines cutting-edge genetic analysis with practical field data and offers insights relevant far beyond barley. It reflects a growing understanding of how climate adaptation strategies must be embedded at the genetic level to build robust food systems.