Research interests:

In the recent decades, the use of natural abundance of stable isotopes of the four most abundant elements in the biosphere C, H, O and N, with the composition of the corresponding heavy isotopes 13C, 2H, 18O and15N being considered potential tools to characterize growth, photosynthetic metabolism and transpiration of cereal crops, especially under conditions of abiotic stresses such as drought and nitrogen deficiency.

It is helpful the use of isotopes of C, N, O and H such as indicators of plant responses under water stress and low nitrogen conditions and their utility to select genotypes better adapted to those conditions. The phenotyping is carried out through isotopic analysis in different plant organs in order to study which of those organs reflect the genotypic differences in stress response and grain yield, to find out the plant adaptation to the mentioned stress conditions.

Current research projects:

Fenotipeado de Precision a Gran Escala en Trigo Duro: Bases Fisiológicas y Herramientas de selección (AGL2013-44147-R)

Grup de Recerca Consolidat de la Generalitat de Catalunya “Ecofisiologia de Conreus Mediterranis” (2014 SGR 628)

Recent publications:
Sanchez-Bragado R, Elazab A, Zhou B, Serret MD, Bort J, Nieto-Taladriz MT, Araus JL. 2013. Contribution of the ear and the flag leaf to grain filling in Durum wheat inferred from the carbon isotope signature: Genotypic and growing conditions effects. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology. In press
Sanchez-Bragado R, Molero G, Reynolds MP, Araus J.L. (2014) Relative contribution of shoot and ear photosynthesis to grain filling in wheat assessed by differential organ δ13C. In press
Zhou B, Sanz-Sanz A, Elazab A, Shen T, Sanchez-Bragado R, Bort J, Serret MD, Araus JL. 2013. Physiological Traits Related to the Recent Increase in Yield Potential of Winter Wheat from Henan Province, China. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology ( doi: 10.1111/jipb.12148)
Schwendenmann L, Pendall E, Sanchez-Bragado R, Kunert N, Hölscher D. 2013. Soil water uptake in a tropical tree plantation varying in diversity: interspecific differences, seasonal shifts and complementarity. Ecohydrology (doi: 10.1002/eco.1479)