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We want to use certain cereals to develop strategies that can improve the resilience and, in particular, the drought tolerance of maize and teff. This is important because one of the negative effects of climate change that we expect to see is a significant increase in drought, which means reduced yields.
They are maize, teff and Eragrostis nindensis, which, unlike the first two, is a wild, non-cultivated plant. Maize was chosen because it is the most widely grown cereal in the world, but it is vulnerable to drought, so much so that drought is the main cause of global maize yield decline. The second species is teff, a cereal grown almost exclusively in the Horn of Africa, where it is a staple food. In fact, it is becoming increasingly popular outside Ethiopia because it is considered a superfood, high in fibre and gluten-free. It is more drought tolerant than maize, but still requires some irrigation. Finally, the third species is Eragrostis nindensis, also known as love grass, which is genetically very similar to teff. It grows wild in the south of the African continent, for example in South Africa and Namibia, and is a so-called resurrection plant - that is, one of those plants that only need a few drops of water to 'resurrect' even when they look dead. In other words, Eragrostis nindensis is an extremely drought-tolerant and even desiccation-tolerant plant, meaning that it can survive or 'resurrect' after losing 95% of its water.
By comparing them, we can understand what makes teff and Eragrostis nindensis more drought tolerant. We also wonder if we can transfer genetic traits from these plants into maize to make it more drought tolerant. These plants, which are known as orphan crops, are more resistant to a number of stresses, but this seems to be inevitably associated with very low levels of productivity. Therefore, transferring some of their traits to maize could reduce its productivity. With this project, we want to test the hypothesis of Robert VanBuren, a professor at Michigan State University, who is also involved in the project. According to his studies, the low productivity of orphan crops is also due to historical and cultural aspects that have not encouraged work to improve productivity. If this were the case, transferring some of their traits to maize would not necessarily reduce productivity significantly.
We want to transfer some genetic combinations and see if we can achieve greater drought tolerance without reducing the yield of the maize too much. A plant that is more tolerant but has a very low yield would not be useful. As far as the genetic approach is concerned, we want to focus not only on the genes involved in drought responses, but also on the function of non-coding regulatory sequences that determine plant yield under drought conditions, which are still very poorly studied. In particular, we want to use a method to look at those regions that account for most of the genetic variability associated with phenotypic variation. These are regions that regulate gene expression, not the genes themselves. At the end of the project, the information obtained will be used to improve the use of natural genetic variation in the design of targeted and efficient selection programmes for drought-tolerant genotypes.
The project involves the development of two new types of biostimulant: the first is a seaweed extract produced from algae found in the Atlantic Ocean. Biostimulants of this type have been used in many crops, including for drought tolerance, but have not been well tested in cereals. The second is based on the microbiome in the roots, rhizosphere and endosphere; these microorganisms live in symbiosis with the plant, benefiting from it and strengthening it in return by making it more tolerant to a range of stresses. We want to take soil samples attached to the roots of plants in both cultivated and uncultivated soils, especially in areas where Eragrostis nindensis grows, and study them because these plants may have a microbiome that plays an important role in increasing drought tolerance. In a nutshell, the idea is to produce the seaweed extract and a mixture of microorganisms that can be smeared on the seeds before sowing or sprayed on the leaves just before stress can occur.
But there is more. You see, even today the mechanisms by which biostimulants work are not entirely clear. So one of the most innovative aims of this project is to study the so-called mode of action of these biostimulants. Once the mode of action is clear, something more specific can be done. The same thing happens with drugs: if you don't know how a drug works, it's difficult to prescribe it in cases where it might have a specific purpose.
Exactly. On the other hand, the project includes a life cycle assessment study to check the impact of these new biostimulants, because it is not necessarily the case that just because something is natural, it cannot be harmful.
That's right, European projects now also have to measure the TRL, the technology readiness level. The idea is that at the end of the project, in April 2027, we will have products that have already been tested in the field.
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