Descripción del proyecto
La clave microbiana para una agricultura saludable
Las plagas y los microorganismos son responsables de alrededor de una tercera parte de las pérdidas en la producción de los cultivos de todo el mundo, por lo que se necesitan urgentemente soluciones respetuosas con el medio ambiente. El microbioma natural y seguro de una planta puede desempeñar una gran función en el crecimiento de plantas sanas. El proyecto financiado con fondos europeos Apple-Biome investigará la función y el comportamiento de los microbiomas presentes en las manzanas. Gracias unas técnicas multidisciplinares avanzadas, identificará técnicas para su uso seguro y eficaz en la producción agrícola mundial. Los resultados del proyecto serán beneficiosos para garantizar la seguridad alimentaria del futuro.
Objetivo
The success of any agricultural system and sustainable production depends on the health of its plants. Pests and pathogens
are responsible for the loss of almost one-third of the global crop production. However, microorganisms found in and on
plants are not always the cause of disease. Instead, the naturally occurring microbial communities, the plant’s microbiome,
play an essential role in the development of healthy plants. This project is based on a hypothesis-driven approach to address
fundamental questions about the plant microbiome such as What is the source of a plant’s microbiome? What are the
pathways of inheritance and acquisition? How does the microbiome move, disseminate, and enter a new host? Apple was
selected as a plant model; a fruit that has been a principal component of a healthy diet, and played a major role in human
evolution and survival. The proposed methodology employs cutting-edge and multidisciplinary techniques such as
metagenomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics, among others. Results of this project will help to understand the
microbiome’s life cycle, associate microbes with specific organs and tissues, and identify microbial species that define a
healthy host with healthy organs and offspring. From there, it will be easy to determine changes, understand disease and
disorders, and find ways to correct unbalanced microbiomes. Identifying how the microbes are acquired and to which organs
and tissues they are associated with, will help in understanding the optimal methods to introduce microbial species to the
host. While the proposed approaches are novel, once the validity of the hypotheses is proven, they will serve as a foundation
for future microbiome studies. These studies will drive the development and implementation of safe, environmentally-friendly
strategies for global agriculture production. These innovations in the management of plant health have myriad positive and
far-reaching implications for environmental and human health.
Ámbito científico
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagricultureagronomyplant protection
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturehorticulturefruit growing
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencesnutrition
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssustainable economy
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiology
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EFCoordinador
8010 Graz
Austria