Project description DEENESFRITPL Special molecules could help make plants more resilient to cold stress Cold stress can seriously hamper crop yield. Low temperatures restrict plant growth and development, while frost causes tissue damage. Yield losses are even more severe when cold stress occurs during the reproductive stage. The EU-funded BoostCrop project aims to increase plant resilience to cold stress and stimulate growth under different conditions using a breakthrough concept called molecular heaters. These are nature-inspired molecules that absorb parts of the electromagnetic spectrum that are either harmful to the plant or not used during photosynthesis and then convert these wavelengths into longer wavelengths (heat). The proposed method could greatly reduce yield losses and extend growth seasons. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective Cold and freezing stress are important constraints for crops and for horticulture. BoostCrop seeks to reduce such stress by an invention called 'molecular heaters'. These are nature-inspired molecules that absorb solar radiation and convert it to heat energy. The invention would reduce yield losses due to cold stress, extend growth seasons and the geographical locations suitable for agriculture, increase crop yield at high crop density and, concomitantly, reduce greenhouse energy costs. BoostCrop strives to increase food production to feed a continuously growing population, thus tackling a major European and Global Challenge in Food Security. The multidisciplinary research programme outlined in BoostCrop will demonstrate how intrinsic molecular processes that underlie energy transfer, and which occur on timescales of tens of trillionths of a second, can be manipulated such that macroscopic properties are impacted. The targets of the research programme include: (1) applying state-of-the-art experiments and theory to track and understand, in unprecedented detail, energy flow in targeted, nature-inspired molecules; (2) manipulating this energy flow through chemical modification; and (3) developing a suite of molecules to suit the needs of crop growth in the field and under protected (greenhouse) conditions. These molecules will then be applied to crops through an aqueous foliar spray. The proposed research programme offers a transdisciplinary and synergistic approach to developing, and understanding the properties of novel photon-to-molecule heaters. The combined expertise of 6 universities (and staff spanning Chemistry, Physics and Biology), one government institute and an SME with an outstanding track record for developing sustainable agro-technologies will ensure that the longterm vision of BoostCrop, to develop molecular heaters for use in a foliar spray, are met, thereby contributing significantly to Europe’s future technological and Food Security. Fields of science natural scienceschemical sciencesphysical chemistryphotochemistrynatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesmeteorologysolar radiationmedical and health scienceshealth sciencesnutritionnatural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryaliphatic compoundsnatural sciencesphysical sciencestheoretical physicsparticle physicsphotons Keywords Spectroscopy and photophysics Plant biochemistry and plant physiology Organic synthesis Theory and computation Agricultural biotechnology Analytical chemistry Food toxicology Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.2. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) Main Programme H2020-EU.1.2.1. - FET Open Topic(s) FETOPEN-01-2018-2019-2020 - FET-Open Challenging Current Thinking Call for proposal H2020-FETOPEN-2018-2020 See other projects for this call Sub call H2020-FETOPEN-2018-2019-2020-01 Funding Scheme RIA - Research and Innovation action Coordinator THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM Net EU contribution € 20 521,69 Address Edgbaston B15 2TT Birmingham United Kingdom See on map Region West Midlands (England) West Midlands Birmingham Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Participants (11) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL United Kingdom Net EU contribution € 892 695,00 Address Beacon house queens road BS8 1QU Bristol See on map Region South West (England) Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol/Bath area Bristol, City of Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM Netherlands Net EU contribution € 844 805,00 Address Spui 21 1012WX Amsterdam See on map Region West-Nederland Noord-Holland Groot-Amsterdam Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 STICHTING RADBOUD UNIVERSITEIT Netherlands Net EU contribution € 355 418,75 Address Houtlaan 4 6525 XZ Nijmegen See on map Region Oost-Nederland Gelderland Arnhem/Nijmegen Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 INSTITUT NATIONAL DES SCIENCES ET INDUSTRIES DU VIVANT ET DE L'ENVIRONNEMENT - AGROPARISTECH France Net EU contribution € 461 000,00 Address 22 place de l'agronomie 91120 Palaiseau See on map Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Essonne Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Third-party Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure. AGROPARISTECH INNOVATION France Net EU contribution € 359 710,00 Address 22 place de l'agronomie 3eme etage bat b 91120 Palaiseau See on map Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Essonne Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 UNIVERSITE D'AIX MARSEILLE France Net EU contribution € 368 876,25 Address Boulevard charles livon 58 le pharo 13284 Marseille See on map Region Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Bouches-du-Rhône Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 BUNDESINSTITUT FUER RISIKOBEWERTUNG Germany Net EU contribution € 483 296,25 Address Max dohrn strasse 8-10 10589 Berlin See on map Region Berlin Berlin Berlin Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 PLANTRESPONSE BIOTECH SL Participation ended Spain Net EU contribution € 17 734,10 Address Calle ciruelos sn edificio centro d campus upm montegancedo 28223 Pozuelo de alarcon See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region Comunidad de Madrid Comunidad de Madrid Madrid Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 GAB CONSULTING SPAIN SL Spain Net EU contribution € 296 265,90 Address Avenida cortes valencianas 39 8 b 46015 Valencia See on map Region Este Comunitat Valenciana Valencia/València Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Third-party Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure. GAB CONSULTING GMBH Germany Net EU contribution € 91 250,00 Address Ottenbecker damm 10 21684 Stade See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region Niedersachsen Lüneburg Stade Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 THE UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK United Kingdom Net EU contribution € 748 830,81 Address Kirby corner road - university house CV4 8UW Coventry See on map Region West Midlands (England) West Midlands Coventry Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00
