Objective The main objectives are defined as follows :* The study of microsymbiont biodiversity in the rhizosphere of test plants growing in their natural habitats. This means arbuscular and ectomycorrhizal fungi, Rhizobium sp. and rhizobacteria, and refers to traditional and molecular techniques of identification, tagging and tracking.* The screening of efficient microbial strains for host/environment compatibility.* The constitution of mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobial banks.* The optimization of both microbial inoculation techniques and nursery production of inoculated seedlings.* The evaluation of the effects of controlled inoculation of seedlings in established experimental reforestation plots under natural conditions. This includes monitoring both plant performance and microbial population dynamics.The target plants and the symbiosis types are : Pinus halepensis and Cedrus atlantica (both ectomycorrhizal hosts), Argania spinosa (arbuscular mycorrhizal host) Acacia raddiana and Anthyllis cytisoides (both arbuscular mycorrhizal and rhizobial hosts).Expected OutcomeThe project should provide recommendations for the development of acceptable models for managing forest resources as alternatives to deforestation and resource degradation. It should define appropriate strategies and specific technologies for implementing the following particular aspects :* To make available a collection of effective ecosystem-adapted microsymbionts.* To deliver a work-package (ecophysiology, biochemistry and molecular biology approaches) for microbial identification, tagging and tracking.* To produce plant material endowed with an optimized mycorrhizosphere (improvement of quality in nursery production of target seedlings) available for transplant purposes.* To establish experimental plots as pilot models available for technology transfer.* Analysis of microsymbiont diversity, screening of mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobial strains adapted to the potential transplantation sites, and establishment of microbial banks. A novel molecular biology approach will be adapted or developed.* Optimization of inoculated seedling production upon selecting appropriate host/symbiont/environment combinations. Modern ecophysiological techniques, a molecular biology approach and isotopic methods will be applied to ascertain seedling quality (optimal symbiont establishment, analysis of mechanisms of drought tolerance and adaptation to calcareous soils, measurement of N2-fixation and N transfer).* Monitoring of plant/microbial performance on outplanting in experimental field plots, molecular microbial ecology techniques, ecophysiology-related methodologies and isotopic- 15N and 13C based-approaches will be used. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologymycologyagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesforestrysilviculturenatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystemsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiological behavioural sciencesethologybiological interactionsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesmolecular biology Programme(s) FP4-INCO - Specific research, technological development and demonstration programme in the field of cooperation with third countries and international organizations, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 03010206 - Silviculture Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR ADVANCED MEDITERRANEAN AGRONOMIC STUDIES EU contribution No data Address Avda de Montanana 1005 50080 ZARAGOZA Spain See on map Total cost No data Participants (11) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS Spain EU contribution No data Address 1,Profesor Albareda 1 18008 GRANADA See on map Total cost No data Centre National de la Recherche Forestière Morocco EU contribution No data Address 10106 Agdal - Rabat See on map Total cost No data Generalitat de Catalunya Spain EU contribution No data Address 46,Sabino de Arana 08028 Barcelona See on map Total cost No data Institut National de Recherches en Génie Rural, Eaux et Forêts Tunisia EU contribution No data Address 2080 Ariana See on map Total cost No data Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique France EU contribution No data Address 2 place Pierre Viala 34060 Montpellier See on map Total cost No data Instituto de Recerca I Tecnologia Agroalimentaries Spain EU contribution No data Address S/N,Ctra. de Cabrils S/N 08348 Barcelona See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITE CADI AYYAD Morocco EU contribution No data Address Boulevard Mouriay Abdallah 40000 MARRAKECH See on map Total cost No data Universidad de Murcia Spain EU contribution No data Address Campus Universitario Espinardo 30100 Murcia See on map Total cost No data Universidad de Navarra Spain EU contribution No data Address 31080 Pamplona See on map Total cost No data Université Ibnou Zohr Agadir Morocco EU contribution No data Address 80002 70000 Agadir See on map Total cost No data Université Mohammed V Morocco EU contribution No data Address Avenue IBN Batouta 10000 Rabat See on map Total cost No data
