Objective
Bacterial biocontrol agents (BCAs) are a promising alternative to chemical pesticides in sustainable agriculture. However, their use is often inconsistent in field, mainly due to the difficulty of BCAs to effectively colonize the rhizosphere and integrate in resident microbial communities. As invaders, BCAs have to face indigenous microbiota once arrived on the rhizosphere, and the establishment of interspecific interactions based on quorum sensing (QS) signals may enhance or hinder their establishment in the rhizosphere. With the objective to solve the problem of BCA inconsistency in field, our research is aimed at unveiling the response of a model BCA to main QS signals released by rhizosphere-living bacteria. To do that, we designed a straightforward working plan based on the combination of microbiology, transcriptomics and formulation technologies. We will use Lysobacter capsici AZ78 (AZ78) as model BCA and QS signals already characterized in rhizosphere-living bacteria. Firstly, we will identify main QS signaling systems included in AZ78 genome through genome mining and we will dissect the AZ78 transcriptional response to QS signals through RNA-Seq. Concurrently, we will identify bacterial strains living on tomato rhizosphere able to boost the AZ78 capacity to release antibiotics and resist UV-light, thanks to positive interactions. Finally, we will develop novel formulations of bacterial consortia (AZ78 with helper bacterial strains) incorporating also positive QS signals. The outcome of this project will be a milestone in the development of next generation BCAs relying on the interspecific interactions to favor BCA establishment in the rhizosphere. The achievement of the results will allow me to create a research group focusing on the ecology and formulations of BCAs, a topic that will meet the interest of industries investing in eco-friendly fungicides and European policy inclined to reducing the input of chemical pesticides in agriculture.
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: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture sustainable agriculture
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmaceutical drugs antibiotics
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
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.
-
H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme -
H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
See all projects funded under this programme
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-EF-ST - Standard EF
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
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-2017
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
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.
38122 Trento
Italy
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.