Xero-Branching: discovering how plant roots adapt to reduced water availability

Project description

Exploring plants' root adaptive responses and their impact on crop production

Plants forage for water and nutrients just like animals do – well, almost. Since they are not mobile, they do it with their roots. In order to optimise foraging, plants have evolved adaptive responses that change root shape via branching. Understanding the mechanisms driving adaptive responses at the root–soil interface will be important to maximising crop performance in the future. In particular, the challenges of climate change and water scarcity are impacting food crops, while population growth necessitates greater food production. The EU-funded Xerobranching project is studying the response of root tip tissues to transient water stress for insight that could help crops grow better under conditions of water scarcity.

Fields of science

• agricultural sciences › agriculture, forestry, and fisheries › agriculture

Programme(s)

• H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility

Topic(s)

• MSCA-IF-2019 - Individual Fellowships

Call for proposal

H2020-MSCA-IF-2019
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF

Coordinator

THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM

Address

University Park
NG7 2RD Nottingham
United Kingdom

Activity type

Higher or Secondary Education Establishments

EU contribution

€ 212 933,76