Thematic area
- Agrifood
Project type
- Research
Country
- Italy, Algeria, Egypt, Spain, France, Greece, Morocco, Tunisia, and Turkey.
Duration
- 2019 – 2022
Partners
Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria; Università di Catania; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche; Ecole Nationale Supérieure Agronomique; Universite Freres Mentouri Constantine 1; Agricultural Research Center; Centre de Recerca en Agrigenòmica; Génétique et Amélioration des Fruits et Légumes; Biologie du Fruit et Pathologie; Hellenic Agriculture Organization – Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources; Hellenic Agriculture Organization – Institute of Olive Tree, Subtropical Crops & Viticulture; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique; Institut de l’Olivier; Cukurova University.
Scientific supervisor
- Daniele Bassi
Founded by
- PRIMA funds
Snapshot of project
| Objectives | Beneficiaries |
|---|---|
| The FREECLIMB project aims at developing smart and sustainable farming systems in Mediterranean countries, preserving natural resources (water and land use) by increasing production efficiency. This will be pursued by advancing knowledge on mechanisms of plant environmental adaptation and biotic/abiotic stress resilience. To these ends, the project will pursue the following specific objectives: i) applying protocols (e.g. phenotyping methods) and integrated tools (e.g. genotyping methods, data analysis) to support the characterization, exploitation and selection of varieties adapted to a range of agro-ecological and management conditions; ii) dissecting the genetic bases of traits/processes linked to sustainability and plant resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses, with particular focus on disentangling genotype-by-environment-by-management (GxExM) interactions; iii) unravelling the molecular, biochemical and physiological basis of plant adaptation to different environmental (soil and climate) and agronomic conditions (water management) and to biotic/abiotic (single or multiple) stresses; iv) developing and applying genomics-based breeding methods to improve introgression and selection efficiency; v) devising adaptation strategies to cope with the combined effects of multiple stresses possibly co-occurring under field conditions (e.g heat waves and drought, pests and diseases); vi) exploiting germplasm resources, by identifying and characterizing spontaneous and domesticated sources of biodiversity; vii) transferring project results through training and dissemination activities dedicated especially to breeders (focusing on young scientists), nurserymen, growers and stakeholders, particularly in those countries where fruit production is less developed. | Considering Southern Mediterranean countries climate as representative of changing scenarios predicted for Northern ones, FREECLIMB will strongly benefit from collaboration between the South and North Mediterranean shores: for each species targeted by the project at least two countries are involved one from the North and one from the South. The balanced composition of the consortium ensures an equal footing approach with particular attention to co-ownership of results, mutual interest and shared benefits. |
| Role of UNIMI |
|---|
| Project management, Phenotyping, Genotyping, Genomics, Physiology and System Biology, Breeding and Pre-breeding, Database management, Genetic Resources provider. |
| Attachments |
|---|
| File |