The YieldShield project
Project Protocol Number: EXCELLENCE/0421/0462
Project Title: ‘‘YieldShield: Sustaining yield security through advanced seed treatments “(EXCELLENCE HUBS). This work is co-funded by the European Union and the Republic of Cyprus through the Research and Innovation Foundation.
Duration: 01/04/2022 – 31/03/2024
Project summary: Enhancing abiotic stress tolerance in plants is of great significance for ameliorating their impact on crop yield and therefore to sustain global food security, but also for reducing water demand in the ever-intensifying agricultural sector. Plants treated at seed stage with certain chemical agents, show prolonged, enhanced tolerance when exposed to sub-optimal abiotic conditions resulting in better crop establishment and enhanced growth, while achieving improved biomass under control conditions. This project aims in the establishment of an Excellence Hub in Cyprus, focusing on the development of a cutting-edge technology based on naturally-derived biocompatible/ biodegradable hydrogels with embedded seed priming agents to be employed as multifunctional coatings in green seed priming technologies. The key objective will aim at optimizing tolerance of important crop plant species such as tomato, wheat and baby spinach to major stress conditions related to global climate change (i.e. drought, salinity). This will be examined through the employment of a novel hybrid compound, the use of which in plant priming approaches is patented by the HO, as well as promising natural chemical compounds and commercial biostimulants, aiming to optimize plant water use efficiency and secure yield under optimal and sub‐optimal conditions. The proposed interdisciplinary and intersectoral research project will be implemented between 2 academic research teams and two industrial stakeholders. This synergistic cooperation sets the foundation for the increased competitiveness of the academic research teams and the industrial partners involved in the project by directing its research activities in highly emerging fields of research and technological development which will affect national, European, and international agro-industries and seed markets.
Implementation plan:
Project Protocol Number: EXCELLENCE/0421/0462
Project Title: ‘‘YieldShield: Sustaining yield security through advanced seed treatments “(EXCELLENCE HUBS). This work is co-funded by the European Union and the Republic of Cyprus through the Research and Innovation Foundation.
Duration: 01/04/2022 – 31/03/2024
Project summary: Enhancing abiotic stress tolerance in plants is of great significance for ameliorating their impact on crop yield and therefore to sustain global food security, but also for reducing water demand in the ever-intensifying agricultural sector. Plants treated at seed stage with certain chemical agents, show prolonged, enhanced tolerance when exposed to sub-optimal abiotic conditions resulting in better crop establishment and enhanced growth, while achieving improved biomass under control conditions. This project aims in the establishment of an Excellence Hub in Cyprus, focusing on the development of a cutting-edge technology based on naturally-derived biocompatible/ biodegradable hydrogels with embedded seed priming agents to be employed as multifunctional coatings in green seed priming technologies. The key objective will aim at optimizing tolerance of important crop plant species such as tomato, wheat and baby spinach to major stress conditions related to global climate change (i.e. drought, salinity). This will be examined through the employment of a novel hybrid compound, the use of which in plant priming approaches is patented by the HO, as well as promising natural chemical compounds and commercial biostimulants, aiming to optimize plant water use efficiency and secure yield under optimal and sub‐optimal conditions. The proposed interdisciplinary and intersectoral research project will be implemented between 2 academic research teams and two industrial stakeholders. This synergistic cooperation sets the foundation for the increased competitiveness of the academic research teams and the industrial partners involved in the project by directing its research activities in highly emerging fields of research and technological development which will affect national, European, and international agro-industries and seed markets.
Implementation plan:
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