Funding: EU - Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON)
Project term: 2022 - 2027
Root phenotyping and genetic improvement for rotational crops resilient to environmental change
As agricultural systems deteriorate due to climate change, European crop yield is projected to decrease by 30% by 2050. But even in the worst-case scenarios, some genotypes are resilient to stress because they inherited certain genes and traits. Searching for genetic markers associated with root traits able to contribute to this resilience is the goal of Root2Res, a European Union-funded research project assembling 22 partners based in Europe and Africa.
Root2Res is short for ‘Root phenotyping and genetic improvement for rotational crops resilient to environmental change'. It is a project that will go beyond the state of the art, developing new tools to evaluate root traits linked to sustainable crops, and measuring heritability and plasticity, that is, the ability to cope with environmental stress while delivering stable production. Working alongside breeders and farmers from areas under the greatest climatic stress, an interdisciplinary team is set to test cereals, tubers and legumes common and novel to European rotational systems.
Funded through Horizon Europe, the key EU research and innovation programme, Root2Res has received the green light amidst growing concern for food security. Focusing on drought and excess water as primary climate change hazards, the thirteen-nation project aims to provide diversified and resilient crops, securing healthy and nutritious food while enhancing nutrient use efficiency, carbon sequestration and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Cultivars developed by Root2Res could lead to global impacts: notably resilient yields that make rural economies viable, with higher quality of life for the farmers; resource-efficient crops with minimal impacts on changing environments; and, ultimately, feasible carbon-neutral societies.
UFZ Project within Root2Res:
WP 5 " In-depth traits assessment and understanding of plasticity"
List of participants by country:
ARVALIS - ARVALIS INSTITUT DU VEGETAL (FR)
KWS - L KWS LOCHOW GMBH (DE)
ICARDA INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN THE DRY AREAS (LB)
CNR CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE (IT)
IRTA INSTITUT DE RECERCA I TECNOLOGIA AGROALIMENTARIES (ES)
BOKU UNIVERSITAET FUER BODENKULTUR WIEN (AT)
FZJ FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JULICH GMBH (DE)
UFZ HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM FUR UMWELTFORSCHUNG GMBH – UFZ (DE)
FEUGA FUNDACION EMPRESA UNIVERSIDAD GALLEGA (ES)
NEIKER NEIKER-INSTITUTO VASCO DE INVESTIGACION Y DESARROLLO AGRARIO SA (ES)
SOLYNTA ONTWIKKELINGSMAATSCHAPPIJ HET IDEE (NL)
WU WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY (NL)
UPM UNIVERSITA POLITECNICA DELLE MARCHE (IT)
KIS KMETIJSKI INSTITUT SLOVENIJE - AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE OF SLOVENIA (SI)
UVIGO UNIVERSIDAD DE VIGO (ES)
ARC AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COUNCIL INSTITUTE FOR SOIL CLIMATE AND WATER (ZA)
TEAGASC TEAGASC - AGRICULTURE AND FOOD DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (IE)
AU AARHUS UNIVERSITET (DK)
FIBL FORSCHUNGSINSTITUT FUR BIOLOGISCHEN LANDBAU STIFTUNG (CH)
JHI THE JAMES HUTTON INSTITUTE (UK)
ADAS RSK ADAS LIMITED (UK)
UNIVDUN UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE (UK)