Current projects
Bioformulation - PunaBio (2022-2024)
We are performing a new delivery formulation system to enhance some of the strains that the company PunaBio provide as biofertilizers of high quality.
Responsible: Inês Romão.
SaltBiome
Microbiota from tolerant varieties as salt-tolerance enhancer.
Rice is one of the most important crops worldwide, feeding almost half of the global population. As a result of global climate change, crops are highly submitted to abiotic stress conditions. Hence, this project is focused in studying the microbiome of salt tolerant rice plants to be used as a tool in the improvement of the salt tolerance capacity of sensitive rice plants and possibly link this change to epigenetic regulations targeting key salt-inducible genes.
On the other hand, we are defining salt tolerant and hypertolerant strains to help other crops (as maize or tomato) against this stress.
Responsibles: Inês Romão and André Sousa.
MaizeSurvivor
Analyzing seed microbiota, we are studying the treatment of maize crops against drought. These assays are annually reproduced from lab to field scale thanks to the kind collaboration of Anpromis
On the other hand, we are defining salt tolerant and hypertolerant strains to help other crops (as maize or tomato) agains this stress.
Responsibles: Inês Romão.
FireBiome
We are looking for solutions to accelerate the soil recovery by using microbiota. A successful case was implemented using as reference Los Guájares wildfire (Granada, Spain). Defining effects of soil on microbiota, and the lost traits after fires, we aim to enhance plants emerging and ecosystem recovery.
BioAlgaStimulant
Using alga extracts to stimulate beneficial microbiota.
Under the scope of this project, we are interested in evaluating the effect of macro-algae extracts on the crosstalk between root/soil microbiome, induction of plant-growth promoting skills by beneficial associated bacteria, and the involvement of epigenetic marks in tomato plants during these processes. Particularly, we are trying to enhance plant tolerance to climate changes contributing at the same time to overcome the excessive use of chemical fertilizers in our soils, environment, and food. This collaboration has active connections with colleagues in Germany and Türkiye.
Responsible: Ana Sofia Santos.
Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência (PRR): Pacto Bioeconomia Azul - Vertical Algas (SP6) (2023-2025)
Together with GPlantS Lab, we are involved in SP6 of this project that is part of the Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência (PRR) of Portugal and funded by the Next Generation EU. Our job will be to evaluate the effect of different alga extracts as biostimulant of crops under abiotic stressful conditions, as well as on the soil microbiota. This will drive to a better knowledge and a more efficient application of alga extracts as biostimulants as part of a more sustainable agriculture management! The SP6 is coordinated by @innovplantprotect, so follow them as well for more!
Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência (PRR): Microplastics (coming soon, 2023)
We seek to identify changes in the microbiota caused by the presence of microplastics from the agriculture management, and how to guarantee healthy soils.
LegumBiome-Basics
Characterizing microbiota from legumes
This project aims to evaluate how different genotypes of different legume species are able to recruit plant growth-promoting bacteria. Our final aim is to evaluate specific microbiota in respect to molecular regulation of each genotype. This project is including the recovering of local varieties of bean and Lathyrus from Aragón (Spain) as source of new beneficial microbiota (in coordination with CITA Aragón and Casa Yus).
LegumBiome-Drought
Desert-adapted microbiota from wild legumes as tolerance enhancer treatment.
The aim of this study is to apply the microbiota from drought-adapted wild legumes and from desert-soil, mimicking natural symbiotic relations underwater scarcity in nature, to enhance drought tolerance in commercial legumes. For this, we isolated, characterized and screened culturable strains from root microbiota. Afterward, we registered phenotypic changes in bean plants to understand how the inoculated strains are influencing their development.
Responsible: João Barnabé.
LegumeOrigins
Discerning microbiota traits in chickpea, bean and lentil ancestors as a tool for resisting stresses (drought/pathogens) and understand evolutionary traits.
In the main study, we are using chickpea ancestor (Cicer reticulatum) as a comparative model for current commercial chickpea (Cicer arietium). In this sense, we are evaluating four genotypes of each one in terms of microbiota recruited and inherited. Similarly, we work with lentils and beans. This is helping us to compare defense traits, evolution process of associated microbiota or re-introduction of beneficial microbiota lost in commercial varieties.
Cloverizing
Characterize and use microbiota from clover varieties (Irish/Spanish) to understand adaptation patterns.
Microbiota in clover is closely related to the nodules they perform as hosting organs in roots. However, some species under stress cannot perform them, conditioning plant development. Thus, we want to evaluate differences between Irish (badly adapted to drought or heat) and Spanish clover varieties, in terms of associated microbiota. This study may elucidate how some species has been able to adapt to more stressing conditions and keep developing nodules.
AromaBiome
Using associated microbiota to aromatic plants to enhance bioactive compounds production.
Many bioactive and industrial interesting compounds in aromatic plants are produced under stressing conditions as drought, heat or pathogen attack. Thus, our hypothesis is that associated microbiota can induce changes in compound’s concentration of these plants. We are evaluating associated populations, and we are testing how they influence on the production of essential oils, antibiotic substances or pigments.
SolaNFlower
Characterizing flower and seed microbiota in Solanaceae plants to understand inheritance traits (beneficial strains/pathogens) – Coming soon.
Study of biochemical traits behind inheritance of microbiota in Solanaceae plants.
Responsible: Amadeus Pendl.
Inheritable: Coming Soon.
Evaluation of the signalling and pathways involved in the inheritances process.
EJP Soils 2021 - SoilSynbiotics (2022-2025)
Describing pre-/probiotics to enhance biofertilizers efficiency.
Study of supplements to enhance biofertilizer performance. In collaboration with Maynooth University and Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research, IAP.
Follow us for more info about this project!
Responsible: Tatiana Gil.
StreXudomes
Transversal project to identify root exudate profiles under stressing conditions to reveal beneficial microbiota recruiting (Coming soon).
Study of the influence of environmental stresses on root exudate profiles (exudomes) and their relevance in microbiota changes.
MiTomBiome: Coming Soon.
Evaluation of root exudates profiles under stress in tomato plants, including epigenetic regulation and microbiota changes.
