PRIN 2022 - Exploiting tailored plant genotype x microbiome interaction toward sustainable increase of rice productivity and resilience to climate change

Agriculture is one of the most crucial economic, social and environmental activities. The demand for food and thus agricultural productivity is expected to increase, but climate change is challenging global food production. Solutions to optimise the use of resources in agriculture are compulsory. Crop yield and resilience are a combination of multiple factors, including crop genotype, agronomical practices, environment, and the microbiome associated with the crop. The project aims to provide proof-of-principle to identify rice genotypes tolerant to climate change-related harsh environmental conditions in association with the optimal combination of bacterial inoculants used as biostimulants. At the end of this proposal we will clarify whether selected rice-endophyte interactions represent a resource for sustainable agriculture and plant breeding. Results will provide fundamentally novel insights into plant-microbe interactions in a staple crop of outstanding importance like rice. In detail, outputs of the different partners will be novel tools and resources, including genome-sequenced endophytes and rice genotyping, genetic mapping, detailed phenotypic information for plant’s adaptation to stress conditions following inoculation. This will culminate in a proof-of-principle of synthetic microbial community development with possible beneficial application under stress.

ENTE PROMOTORE: Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca
NOME PROGETTO: Exploiting tailored plant genotype x microbiome interaction toward sustainable increase of rice productivity and resilience to climate change
PERIODO E DURATA: 12/10/2023 – 11/10/2025 – 24 mesi
FINANZIAMENTO: € 42.900,00
COORDINATORI: Università degli Studi di FIRENZE
REFERENTI SSSA: Prof.ssa Chiara PUCCIARIELLO