The lab undertakes research on the quantification of the impact of environmental factors on crop plants, and the understanding of physiological mechanisms of the response of plants to environmental conditions and natural hazards. The effort is to provide scientific support to agronomists in their research on crop management innovations for coping with climate variability; and to breeders in their efforts to establish screening procedures to be used in crop improvement for abiotic stress resistance, and yield and quality enhancement. The ultimate goal is for the development and management of sustainable agricultural systems in the perspective of natural resource scarcity and climate change.