About Me

Zhiwei Wang is a PhD candidate jointly trained at the University of Barcelona (UB) and China Agricultural University (CAU). Curious about the world and passionate about exploring new experiences, he enjoys discovering different cultures, embracing new challenges, and finding inspiration beyond familiar surroundings. He loves exploring nature and the outdoors, from hiking in the mountains and skiing on snowy slopes to discovering historical landmarks and enjoying the beauty of the sea. He believes that life is not simply about reaching destinations, but also about enjoying the journey, learning along the way, and discovering what truly matters.

Research Interests

Building on this curiosity and passion for exploration, I bring the same spirit of discovery to my research. My research interests focus on understanding how coordination between source and sink capacities contributes to sustained improvements in crop yield. I combine field experimentation with phenotyping, physiological and metabolic analyses, gene expression profiling, and modelling to investigate crop growth and yield formation across scales, from individual organs and plants to populations. The aims of my research include:

  1. Physiological mechanisms by which sink regulation promotes crop yield formation.
  2. Source-sink interaction regulates carbon assimilation, transport, and allocation for crop production.
  3. UAV-based multi-sensor phenotyping for 3D reconstruction of field crops and yield prediction.

Recent publications:

Wang Z, Jiao Y, Huang C, Xue Y, Wang Y, Hong B, Chen Z, Liang X, Segarra J, Araus J, Kefauver S, Zhou S*, Shen S*. Answering the call: Source-leaf carbon supply is enhanced in response to grain sink strengthening via synchronous pollination in maize. Plant J. (Under Review)

Wang Z, Huang C, Liang X, Chen X, Chen Z, Lin S, Kefauver S, Wang X, Zhou S*, Shen S*. Mitigating constraints in harvest index and yield of densified populations via narrowing pollination time gaps within maize ear. Plant Physiol. 201, kiag442.

Wang Z, Huang C, Chen Z, Hong B, Zhou Y, Liang X, Chen X, Zhou S*, Shen S*. 2026. Flowering dynamics of plant individual and population under increased planting density and its association with yield formation in maize. Field Crops Res. 342, 110473.

Wang Z, Yu Y, Chen X, Li Y, Jones A, Rose R, Ruan Y, Song Y*. Mitigating drought-associated reproductive failure in maize: From physiological mechanisms to practical solutions. Crop J. 13, 1022-1031.

Wang Z, Yu Y, Hu Z, Wu Y, Sun W, Li Y, Song Y*. Modelling maize silk extension using segmented exponential and linear functions. Eur. J. Agron. 2024, 159, 127269.

Wang Z, Sun W, Liu X, Li Y, Collins B, Ullah N, Song Y*. 2022. Analysis on heat characteristics for summer maize cropping in a semi-arid region. Agronomy. 12, 1435.

Huang C, Wang Z, Lin Y, Liang X, Chen H, Hong B, Chen X, Zhou Y, Chen Z, Dong S, Wang X, Zhou S, Shen S*. 2025. Siblicide between fertilized and unfertilized ovaries within the maize ear. Commun. Biol. 8, 528.

Chen X, Wang Z, Liang X*, Li F, Li B, Wu G, Yi F, Setter T, Shen S*, Zhou S*. 2024. Incomplete filling in the basal region of maize endosperm: timing of development of starch synthesis and cell vitality. Plant J. 120, 1142-1158.

Soualiou S, Wang Z, Sun W, Reffye P, Louarn G, Song Y*. 2022. Functional-Structural Plant Models mission in advancing crop science: opportunities and prospects. Front. Plant Sci. 12, 747142.

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