PINBAC · Characterising plant interactions with bacteria that promote the uptake of nitrogen and sulphur from organic sources
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2016-07-01 → 2018-06-30
- EU contribution
- €159,461
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-ST
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Characterising plant interactions with bacteria that promote the uptake of nitrogen and sulphur from organic sources
1.1 What is the problem being addressed? There is increasing research interest in enhancing agricultural sustainability via targeted manipulation of plant-microbe interactions, but there is an incomplete scientific knowledge about how plants interact with their microbiome at the metabolic level. Therefore, PINBAC (Characterising Plant INteractions with BACteria that promote the uptake of nitrogen and sulphur from organic sources) aimed to deepen the molecular knowledge of plant-microbe nutrient exchange in the rhizosphere 1.2 Why is it important for society? In contemporary agriculture, the vast majority of nitrogen is delivered via application of mineral fertilisers, which have undesirable environmental consequences such as waterway eutrophication and greenhouse gas production. There is increasing research interest in designing agricultural systems based on the nitrogen dynamics found in natural ecosystems, where nitrogen compounds are cycled between plants and soil, with microbes playing a crucial role in this process. However, this will require a better scientific understanding of how microbial metabolism can best support plant nutrition, and also of how plants recruit favourable microbial strains to their root microbiome. 1.3 What are the overall objectives? Using advanced scientific techniques, the PINBAC project aimed to gain new scientific knowledge about the metabolic mechanisms of nutrient exchange between plants and microbes. Specific aims included: 1) To define the specific metabolites are produced by plant roots and transferred to root-associated microbes for consumption as growth sources; 2) To define the specific microbial genes that are expressed to mobilise soil nutrients for boosting plant nutrition.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
The plant rhizosphere contains an abundant and diverse array of microbes, and plants interact with this microbial community in diverse ways, from mutualistic to neutral to pathogenic . It is proposed that future agricultural systems should strategically incorporate mutualistic plant-microbe associations, whereby high-performing combinations of plant genotypes and microbial populations are co-cultivated to promote improved nutrient use efficiency and decreased fertiliser application . Currently, there is a poor scientific understanding of the precise biochemical transformations and exchanges that occur in mutualistic associations between plants and microbes, and it is also unclear which specific microbial species are the most effective for supporting plant growth and nutrition. There is evidence that plant genotypes exhibit differing capacities to shape their rhizospheric microbiome , but our poor mechanistic understanding of this phenomenon prevents breeding strategies to select crop varieties that will host favourable microbial interactions. Therefore, this project proposes to address these gaps in scientific knowledge, by undertaking co-cultivation experiments that investigate which specific bacterial species are most effective for enhancing plant uptake of nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S) from organic sources, as well as which specific Arabidopsis accessions are the most receptive hosts for these interactions. Next, isotope labelling and metabolic flux studies will be undertaken in the best and worst performing plant-microbe combinations, to define the specific biochemical routes of N & S transfer that are favourable for plant nutrition. Also, genetic investigations will be undertaken to find the key genes responsible for favourable plant-microbe interactions. This project combines the complementary expertise of its participants to deliver high-quality training to the researcher, which will enhance his professional maturity in this strategically important field.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- UNIVERSITAT ZU KOLN · KolnCoordinatorGermany
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union