During his PhD study, Mikulas Knazovicky investigated the physiological and metabolic responses of Lupinus angustifolius (blue or narrow-leafed lupin) cultivars to climate change-related abiotic stresses, and how these responses influence grain nutritional composition. While the photosynthetic performance, assessed through gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence, can serve as a strong indicator of stress tolerance, its relationship with secondary metabolites and macronutrient profiles in lupins has remained largely unexplored. Mikulas’ research bridged this gap by examining how physiological traits relate to nutritional characteristics in both stress-tolerant and stress-sensitive cultivars, under single and combined stress conditions in controlled environments.

The research findings contribute to the understanding of how physiological and metabolic adjustments underpin stress tolerance in lupins and shape their grain nutritional composition under changing climate conditions.

The PhD study was completed at The Department of Food Science, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Thursday, 15 January 2026 at 10:00
Place: Building 48, room 5910-214, Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Agro Food Park 48, 8200 Aarhus N.
Title of PhD thesis: From Leaf Stress Physiology to Grain Nutritional Composition: Insights from Lupinus angustifolius
Contact information: Mikulas Knazovicky, e-mail: mikulaskn@food.au.dk, tel.: +45 52736122
Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Marta Vasconcelos, Centre for Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Porto, Portugal
Dr. Fabio Fiorani, Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Jülich Plant Phenotyping Centre, Germany
Associate Professor Martin Krøyer Rasmussen (chair), Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Denmark
Main supervisor: Professor Carl-Otto Ottosen, Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Denmark
Co-supervisor: 
Associate Professor Eva Rosenqvist, Section for Crop Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Professor Milena Corredig, Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Denmark
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defense is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Technical Sciences/GSTS, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, 8000 Aarhus C.