Understanding the Micro-Environments of Diazotrophs and their Associated Activities in Rice

Project Information

DIAZOASSOCRICE

Grant agreement ID: 628361

Project closed

Start date 1 August 2014

End date 30 September 2016

Funded under

• Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Total cost € 179 137,20

EU contribution € 179 137,20

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITAT WIEN
Austria

Objective

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the world’s most important crop plants. The production is strongly limited by nitrogen (N), which is typically supplied by industrial fertilizers that are costly and hazardous to the environment. Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) through N2 fixing Bacteria and Archaea (diazotrophs) can alleviate the N-shortage in rice cultivation and was estimated to account for up to 25% of the total N-demand of the plants. However, our knowledge on N2 fixation related processes in the soil-microbe-plant interface of flooded rice fields (paddy soils) is still rudimentary. The proposed project seeks to increase the understanding of N2 fixation rates of diazotrophs and their respective contribution to the total BNF in these systems. A better understanding of the colonization patterns and preferential micro-niches of diazotroph associated with soil-grown rice roots is needed to unravel the interactions and N-transfer processes between diazotrophs and the rice plant on a biologically meaningful micro-scale. The objectives of the proposed research are: (1) to investigate the factors (soil types, rice genotypes, plant growth stages) influencing the community composition of diazotrophs associated with different soil/root micro-environments based on nifH amplicon sequencing; (2) the in situ analysis of spatial distribution and colonization patterns of native diazotrophs associated with soil-grown rice roots via fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH); and (3) to assess the in situ activity of diazotrophs associated with soil-root micro-environments by 15N2 incubations and FISH-NanoSIMS. This project combines molecular methods, biogeochemical assays, and single-cell isotope analysis to analyze the in situ activities of diazotrophs in a previously unachievable manner. This multidisciplinary approach will be extremely powerful to address questions regarding the N2 fixation by plant-associated diazotrophs on a biologically relevant submicron scale.

Fields of science

• natural sciences › biological sciences › microbiology › bacteriology
• agricultural sciences › agriculture, forestry, and fisheries › agriculture

Programme(s)

• FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Topic(s)

• FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IEF - Marie-Curie Action: "Intra-European fellowships for career development"

Call for proposal

FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IEF
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

MC-IEF - Intra-European Fellowships (IEF)

Coordinator

UNIVERSITAT WIEN

Administrative Contact

Dagmar Woebken (Dr.)

• EU contribution: € 179 137,20
• Address: UNIVERSITATSRING 1 ; 1010 Wien ; Austria
• Region: Ostösterreich › Wien › Wien
• Activity type: Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
• Total cost: No data