OPTIMUS PRIME: Optimal usage of natural product and biological priming agents to improve resilience of agrosystems to climate change (DBA.AD001.432)
Thematic area
Biology, agriculture and food sciences
Project area
Intensificazione sostenibile delle produzioni agroalimentari e forestali (DBA.AD001)Structure responsible for the research project
Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP)
Other structures collaborating in the research project
Project manager
RAFFAELLAMARIA BALESTRINI
Phone number: 000000
Email: RAFFAELLA.BALESTRINI@IPSP.CNR.IT
Abstract
In the Mediterranean area, climate change affects agricultural productivity primarily by reducing water availability and altering environmental variables from optimal values subsequently favouring the incidence of plant pests and diseases. In this scenario, the OPTIMUS PRIME consortium aims at increasing tolerance of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. Mill), an important horticultural crop, to multiple stresses including abiotic factors: water limitation and high temperatures, and biotic stressors: Tuta absoluta attack and Tetranychus evansi infestation, providing through a cost-effective seed priming strategy. This strategy, based on a combination of natural compounds and beneficial microorganisms, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) or plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB), has proved to be efficient in enhancing plant defence against a myriad of threats. The OPTIMUS PRIME proposal will test different combinations of priming agents for their efficacy in improving tolerance of tomato to a combination of the above-mentioned stress factors and under real-world farming conditions, without affecting subsequent developmental and productive traits including fruit quality.
Start date of activity
01/06/2021
Keywords
Biostimulant, drought, heat, microorganisms, natural compounds, pinworm, priming, spider mite, tomato, water stress.
Last update: 18/04/2024