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H2020Doctoral network2016–2021

INTERFUTURE · From microbial interactions to new-concept biopesticides and biofertilizers

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2016-12-01 → 2021-05-31
EU contribution
€2,833,636
Participants
12
Scheme
MSCA-ITN-EID

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners. CORDIS does not always give exact coordinates for projects before 2014. These points are placed at city or country level.

Results in brief

From microbial interactions to new-concept biopesticides and biofertilizers

The number of authorised pesticides in agriculture is constantly decreasing and thanks to the European directive 2009/128/EC their use is becoming more sustainable. Thus, the risks and impacts of pesticides on human health and the environment are constantly reduced. The promotion of low pesticide-input management and the reduction of chemical fertilizers is among the actions listed in the Directive. Recent studies have highlighted how microorganism interactions are crucial for the health of the agro-ecosystem, but novel understandings on plant, insects and microorganism interactions are still far from being translated into new sustainable technologies. Main objectives of the INTERFUTURE project are i) to bridge the gap between the most recent discoveries of science and the industrial development of products by the creation of multidisciplinary and inter-sectoral doctorate programmes, ii) to train early stage researchers through an industrial doctoral programme that integrates academic research with product development in EU companies with a strong curriculum in development and innovation and iii) to explore new approaches and to identify new cutting edge solutions for pathogen and insect control and for crop fertilization based on natural tools that will be developed by a strict collaboration of academic and industrial partners. The project includes eleven beneficiaries and three partner organizations from seven countries (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, New Zealand and United Kingdom) and they include six universities (University of Molise, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, University of Nottingham, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne and University of Trento), two research centres (Fondazione Edmund Mach and New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited) and six industrial partners (Azotic Technologies Ltd, BioBest, Biological Products for Agriculture-BIPA, De Ceuster Meststoffen NV, E-NEMA Gesellschaft für Biotechnologie und Biologischen Pflanzenschutz GmbH and Inoq GmbH).

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

The Directive 2009/128/EC sets rules in EU for the sustainable use of pesticides to reduce the risks and impacts of pesticide use on people's health and the environment. Among the listed actions there is the promotion of low pesticide-input management including non-chemical methods. In parallel several chemical active ingredients have been banned because of toxicity concerns. The result is that growers are left with few control tools against pests. On the other hand most of the available alternative control methods have several limitations, especially in term of efficacy. Several new ideas are not reaching the industry and are confined in the academic world. The concept behind this EIT is to explore new approaches to identify new cutting edge solutions for pest control based on new non classical approaches in strict collaboration with industrial partner and to train 11 highly skilled early stage researchers (ESR) through a doctoral programme that integrates 5 academic research with concept-driven product development in 6 EU companies with a strong curriculum in development and innovation within a large interdisciplinary environment. Microorganisms are often used so far as replacement of chemical active ingredients. The innovative aspect of this EID is to base the new pest control solutions on interactions of microorganisms with plants and insects rather than using them as plant protection products. Microorganisms’ unsurpassed inclination towards the association with eukaryotic macro-organisms determines traits and qualities in the host that harbours them. Microbial symbionts’ ability to profoundly transform their living habitat paves the way for unexplored outlooks in the ability to use microbial symbioses as sustainable and renewable tools to improve production and quality in agriculture. Microorganisms are key players in shaping several insect’s semiochemicals, in particular kairomones indicating a food source or oviposition site for some insect species.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • FONDAZIONE EDMUND MACH · San Michele All'AdigeCoordinatorItaly
  • AZOTIC TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED · CHORLEYUnited Kingdom
  • BIOBEST GROUP NV · WesterloBelgium
  • BIPA NV · LonderzeelBelgium
  • DE CEUSTER MESTSTOFFEN · GrobbendonkBelgium
  • DESARROLLO AGRICOLA Y MINERO SA · ZARAGOZACity levelSpain
  • E-NEMA GESELLSCHAFT FUER BIOTECHNOLOGIE UND BIOLOGISCHEN PFLANZENSCHUTZ mbH · SchwentinentalGermany
  • INOQ GMBH · SCHNEGAGermany
  • UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DEL MOLISE · CampobassoItaly
  • UNIVERSITAET FUER BODENKULTUR WIEN · WienAustria
  • UNIVERSITE DE REIMS CHAMPAGNE-ARDENNE · ReimsFrance
  • UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE · Newcastle Upon TyneUnited Kingdom

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union