GREENHORT

Greening Horticulture: multi-omics integration of crop response to develop effective microalgae-based biostimulants

GREENHORT

ABSTRACT

The project aims to elucidate the biostimulant action of novel microalgal extracts (MEs) on tomato and lettuce. Being microalgae autotrophic microorganisms, rich of natural compounds selectively active on plants, and amenable to industrial production, a biostimulant based on microalgal extract can improve the resource use efficiency, favoring the transition to a clean, circular economy. The biostimulant action on crops will be evaluated in terms of morpho-physiological traits, as well as molecular and biochemical processes. MEs from different species will be screened for biostimulant activity at early stage of crop development under optimal and sub-optimal conditions (low N availability and salinity) using a greenhouse-based high throughput plant phenotyping platform. Bioassays will be used for evaluating hormone-like activity of MEs whereas crop responses to single or multiple stress factors (low N availability and/or salinity) will be assessed in agronomic trials in tomato and lettuce grown under greenhouse conditions. Omics technologies (phenomics, transcriptomics, ionomics, and targeted metabolomics) will be used for improving our understanding on the mode of action of the most active MEs. The adoption of an approach aimed at converting basic research into results that directly benefit agriculture and sustainability will empower fertilizer companies and agro-tech innovators by developing a new generation of highly efficient green biostimulants. 

Identification Code: Prot. 2022WHTNZT

Total project cost: 250000 Euro

Total cost DAFNE: 100000 Euro

DAFNE Role: Coordinatore
Scientific Supervisor DAFNE: Prof. Giuseppe Colla

Email: giucolla@unitus.it

Start date: 12/10/2023

End date: 11/10/2025

LINK 

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PARTNERSHIP

• Università della Tuscia, DAFNE
• Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II
• Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”

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