Dr. Gorong Zhang

In this engaging discussion, Dr. Gorong Zhang, a public wheat breeder at Kansas State University, shares his innovative work developing drought-resistant wheat varieties for a changing climate. Fifth-generation farmer Paul Penner provides firsthand insight into adapting farming practices like no-till methods in response to shifting rainfall patterns. Together, they explore the impacts of the moving dry line, the threat of the wheat streak mosaic virus, and the critical relationship between local farming adaptations and global food security.

Gorong Zhang, a wheat breeder at Kansas State University, is on a mission to create drought-resistant wheat to combat climate change. He shares insights on the lengthy process of breeding resilient crop varieties. Paul Penner, a seasoned Kansas farmer, discusses adapting practices like no-till farming amid economic pressures and shifting rainfall patterns. Both highlight the urgent need for strategies to ensure global food security as the dry line shifts east, affecting crop yields and increasing challenges for farmers.