Demonstrator: Harnessing the plant microbiome for stress-resilient future crops

Work package 5: Fundamental knowledge generated in WP 1-4 is key in driving the development of strategies that harness functions from the root microbiome for future stress-resilient crops that require less input of fertilisers and pesticides. This WP will function as an innovation incubator in which potential game-changing discoveries from WP 1-4 will be studied in detail to enable translation of these findings to future application in a microbiome-assisted agricultural context. In collaboration with our international and industrial partners, promising MiCRop outputs will be rigorously tested in the field, and tailored for optimal field performance. This will be accomplished via optimised crop genotypes and accelerated microbial evolution of premium rhizosphere competence traits.

Plant improvement for enhanced crop resilience