Agricultural innovation linked to plant hormones
The long-term sustainability of Europe's agro-economy and agro-ecology relies on reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Identifying innovative ways of encouraging high crop yields without the use of chemical fertilisers is a key component in such a transition. And yet, the hormones that control plant growth are not sufficiently understood. In order to address the knowledge gap, a consortium of EU-funded researchers and industry partners focused on one particular group of hormones, the brassinosteroids (BRs). Their 'Brassinosteroid venture increasing students' international mobility' (BRAVISSIMO) project began with recruiting and training early-stage researchers (ESRs). BRAVISSIMO provided intensive training, mentoring and career development opportunities for nine ESRs. BRAVISSIMO set out to demystify the brassinosteroids (BRs) that directly influence biomass and crop yield, as well as adaptation to stress and pathogens. The full team then deciphered several aspects of the BRs in Arabidopsis thaliana. Arabidopsis is a cress that has been used as a model plant for agro-ecology research since the 1900s. Despite over a century of study focused on this species, BRAVISSIMO just now decoded Arabidopsis' hormone functionality. The project's key results rest upon the team's initial analyses, which led to some important discoveries. In particular, project members discovered a gene (Brevis Radix) that they determined influences root growth by affecting hormone interactions. Additionally, BRAVISSIMO made progress in understanding how BRs affect cellular processes, along with how BR levels fluctuate as plants develop and respond to their environment. After obtaining a thorough understanding of how BRs and specific genes interact in Arabidopsis, BRAVISSIMO then focused on tomatoes and rice. Specifically, the researchers developed tools to investigate how gene–hormone interactions could be enhanced to encourage preferred traits in these crops. Studies will continue in order to more fully understand how biosynthesis of BRs affects these crops' structures and productivity.
Keywords
Plant growth hormone, early-stage researcher, sustainable agriculture, agricultural innovation
