Project description
Algae’s hidden job in keeping plants healthy
Microalgae may be small, but they have a big part in keeping plants healthy. These tiny organisms are key parts of the plant world, helping plants grow. Algae can also strengthen disease resistance and improve plants’ ability to cope with stress, but we’re only beginning to understand how they can help plants grow. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the AlgaeSphere project looks into how algae and the bacteria that live with plants work together to shape whole communities of tiny life forms. The aim is to help farming, biofuel production and wastewater treatment, making algae a central part of sustainable farming, biofuel production and wastewater treatment.
Objective
In the face of climate change, biodiversity loss and a rapidly growing population, global food security relies on improving agriculture production. However, it is equally crucial to limit or mitigate the environmental impact by developing sustainable and regenerative practices. Plant health strongly depends on plant-associated microbial communities, known as the microbiome, which can increase plant nutrient acquisition, tolerance to environmental stress, and resistance to diseases. Whereas most studies have focused exclusively on bacteria and, to a lesser extent, fungi, other plant-associated microbes like algae remain largely underappreciated in the plant microbiome. However, recent reports support that algae are ubiquitous in plant microbiomes and that (living) algae can improve plant fitness by promoting growth and increasing resistance against pathogens and abiotic stress. However, the underlying mechanisms of beneficial algal-plant interactions remain mostly unknown. Land plants evolved from a green algal ancestor and both, plants and algae, have co-evolved with interacting bacteria using similar mechanisms. Thus, algae, through their interactions with plant-associated bacteria, have the potential to influence the assembly and function of the microbiome itself. The AlgaeSphere project aims to uncover the overlooked potential of algal-bacterial interactions within the plant microbiome to improve plant growth in a circular bioeconomy model. By understanding the underpinnings of algal-bacterial interactions within the context of the plant microbiome, this project aims to reveal new players and emergent functions to improve the design of stable and higher-performing microbial consortia for sustainable agriculture and biotechnological applications for biofuel production and wastewater bioremediation.
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 microbiology bacteriology
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology phycology
- engineering and technology environmental biotechnology bioremediation
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology mycology
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture
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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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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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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) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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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.
14005 CORDOBA
Spain
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.