Project description
How plants can identify their neighbours
For decades, intraspecific interactions among plants were assumed to be purely competitive in nature. However, recent experimental evidence has revealed the existence of positive interactions for various wild plant species, where a genotype can cooperate with a conspecific to reduce competitive growth. In order to alter their competitive response, plants must be able to distinguish the identity of their neighbours. The EU-funded KNOWN project will investigate the direct or indirect role of root-secreted compounds in mediating neighbour perception and recognition in conspecific interactions. This will be achieved through an interdisciplinary approach combining evolutionary ecology, chemistry, quantitative genetics and microbiology. Understanding this link between recognition and below-ground plastic responses will help in designing high-yield crop varieties.
Objective
Understanding the social networks of plants is essential for predicting their coexistence. For decades, intraspecific interactions were assumed to be purely competitive in nature. However, recent experimental evidence has demonstrated the existence of positive interactions for various wild plant species, wherein a genotype can recognize a conspecific, and cooperate to reduce competitive growth when growing with either their kin, or even an unrelated intra/con specific. My PhD research took this a step further by giving the first-ever evidence for the existence of both these types of positive interactions within the same plant species, varying between natural populations.
To alter their competitive response, plants must have mechanisms to reliably distinguish the identity of their neighbors. The root systems are known to be critical for sensing and integrating signals that allow plants to perform elaborate behaviors similar to those of intelligent animals. Yet, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. This project aims to understand the direct or indirect role of root-secreted compounds in mediating neighbor perception and recognition in conspecific interactions. To do this, we will combine interdisciplinary approach at the interface of evolutionary ecology, chemistry, quantitative genetics, and microbiology
Understanding how plants recognize each other is a crucial step in determining how competitive traits evolve in intraspecific plant-plant interacting systems, which has implications in both natural and agroecological contexts. Comprehending intraspecific recognition mechanisms can ultimately help illuminate the dynamics of natural plant populations and aid in predicting their resilience in the face of current and future global changes. More importantly, understanding this link between recognition and belowground plastic responses can be exploited to design efficient crop variety mixtures with high yield potential owing to cooperative interactions.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology evolutionary ecology
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
8000 Aarhus C
Denmark
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.