Germany | Cereal crops’ symbiosis with fungi

2026 Top Agri-food Pioneers: Uta Paszkowski

Uta Paszkowski has made transformative contributions to sustainable agriculture through pioneering plant science, using advanced molecular and genomic approaches to address critical food system challenges. As Head of the Cereal Symbiosis Group, she focuses on harnessing the potential for cereals like rice and maize to form beneficial partnerships with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi that enhance nutrient uptake from the soil. Strengthening and scaling this symbiosis offers a viable alternative to conventional fertilizers, which pose environmental risks and remain expensive for smallholder farmers. By unlocking the genetic mechanisms of symbiotic nutrient exchange, her work is creating new opportunities for low-input, high-yield agriculture. She regularly collaborates with farmers, private companies and researchers to trial improved cultivars. In her role as Co-Director of the Enabling Nutrient Symbioses in Agriculture program, she leads a global team of experts working to develop sustainable crop nutrition solutions for smallholder farmers in Africa and South Asia.