Description du projet
Une solution froide pour la culture des pommes
Le pire cauchemar d’un agriculteur est un front froid qui gèle ses cultures. Malheureusement, les solutions actuelles pour lutter contre ce phénomène sont coûteuses, inefficaces et néfastes pour l’environnement. Une nouvelle protection naturelle à base de bactéries végétales serait la plus prometteuse. Dans ce contexte, le projet FreezingBioprotector, financé par l’UE, concevra un produit à base de microbes pour protéger les pommes contre le gel, et ce dans le cadre d’une approche interdisciplinaire (biologie moléculaire, bio-informatique, microbiologie et physiologie végétale) axée sur les communautés bactériennes associées à l’anthosphère d’une rosacée sauvage adaptée au froid (Dryas octopetala). La combinaison du séquençage à haut débit et du criblage rapide d’isolats bactériens sera appliquée pour évaluer les possibilités de protection contre le gel. Cela devrait aboutir à une solution saine et efficace pour préserver les cultures fruitières sur le marché européen.
Objectif
Current methods used by growers to prevent or reduce freezing damage include mainly physical approaches, which have
several limitations in terms of cost, efficacy and environmental impact. The use of natural plant beneficial bacteria is a
promising approach against freezing damage. With the aim of developing new microbial-based products for freezing
protection of apple, the goal of this project is to taxonomically and functionally characterise the bacterial communities
associated with the anthosphere of a wild cold-adapted rosaceous plant (Dryas octopetala) and to assess their freezing
protection abilities on apple. To achieve these goals, we will use the combination of high-throughput sequencing and rapid throughput screening of bacterial isolates with interdisciplinary approaches of molecular biology, bioinformatics, microbiology and plant physiology. In particular, bacterial taxa associated with D. octopetala flowers under freezing stress tolerance will be identified and targeted isolation methods will be used to recover psychrophilic bacteria. Screening of bacterial isolates will be carried out to examine their ice-active traits (ice recrystallization inhibition and ice shaping) and environmental stress tolerance (drought, starving and UV). Efficacy tests of the isolates for their freezing protection abilities on apple will be performed, followed by feasibility checking of industrial production of the best candidates. The scientific outcomes of this project will contribute in the development of a microbial product for freezing protection of fruit crops that will be further developed for the EU market, which agrees with the promotion of sustainable biological methods. FreezingBioprotector will be fundamental to my professional career development by broadening my expertise in microbial ecology and crop protection, as well as transferable skills on teamwork, leadership, analytical thinking and project management that will be essential for my future research career.
Champ scientifique
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Régime de financement
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinateur
38122 Trento
Italie