New biostimulant to improve drought resistance in crops
Mediterranean agriculture is facing a growing challenge due to climate change, which increases the frequency and intensity of drought and increases the salinisation of arable soils. These factors impact on food production and cause significant economic losses. In this context, plant biostimulants are emerging as an innovative solution to improve crop resistance to this stress and reduce the need for chemical fertilisers.
The University of Barcelona (UB), through the Bosch i Gimpera Foundation (FBG) and with the support of Banco Santander, has awarded a Proof of Concept grant of 25. 25,000 euros to the project ‘Pararhizobium-based plant biostimulant improving abiotic stress tolerance in crops’ by Dr. Rubén Alcázar, professor of the Plant Physiology section of the Department of Biology, Health and Environment of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences of the UB.
This project consists of the development of a new biostimulant based on two unpublished Pararhizobium sp. bacteria, isolated in the laboratory. These strains have demonstrated their ability to improve crop tolerance to drought, salinity, cold and frost. The strains and their uses have been protected by a patent application in the European Union and licensing agreements are currently being negotiated with companies in the agri-food sector.
‘Today’s agriculture must be more sustainable and reduce the chemical impact on the fields, but at the same time, it must manage to improve yields in an adverse environment such as climate change. In addition, we need to have food that is safe and economically viable for people’s pockets. By applying biotechnology, we have developed a new biostimulant that optimises crop yields and protects crops from increasingly frequent adverse weather conditions. We are working towards food sustainability in the short and long term,’ explains Dr Rubén Alcázar. ‘This is a good example of why plant biotechnology is a strategic sector of the future, with a clear impact on transfer,’ he adds.
Understanding tolerance to water stress
The project includes trials under field conditions to assess fruit yield and quality under limited irrigation regimes. In addition, high-precision molecular analyses will be carried out to better understand the mechanisms of water stress tolerance.
‘We want to find out how the product works by studying the molecular mechanisms that explain these effects. We want to see how this biostimulant makes crops more drought tolerant. If we know these mechanisms, we will be better positioned in the market and we will be able to continue improving the product in a targeted way’, Dr. Alcázar remarks.
The ultimate goal of this project is to facilitate the establishment of licensing agreements with companies specialising in biostimulants and to contribute to the development of new organic products that help agriculture face the challenges of climate change.
According to Dr Alcázar, this F2I grant will be an ‘essential’ step to ensure the continuity of the transfer project. ‘The grant will allow us to count on the expertise of the Bosch i Gimpera Foundation, which will help us to bring the product we are developing closer to the market.