Jill Farrant

Jill Farrant (born 5 December 1960 in Modimolle), professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, is a leading expert on resurrection plants, which 'come back to life' from a desiccated, seemingly dead state when they are rehydrated.

Research work

Farrant is investigating the ability of certain species of plants which are able to survive without water for long periods of time. The ultimate goal of her research is to find applications that will lead to the development of drought-tolerant crops to nourish populations in arid, drought-prone climates,

Farrant is currently investigating the potential of turning eragrostis tef, an annual grass, into just such a crop. Eragrostis tef seeds are a high-protein staple food in Ethiopia, and it is closely related to a drought-resistant resurrection grass. According to Farrant, "n the same way that humans have bred plant species together over the centuries to create oats, maize and wheat, so too can we breed desiccation-tolerant, drought-resistant crops in the Eragrostis family without having to go the genetically modified route." As a 9-year-old Farrant noted in her diary in 1970, "The ded [sic] plant on the rocks was alive but Dad wouldn't believe me." In 2012, she received the L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards For Women in Science, along with a USD $100,000 prize.