Work package 2: Understanding crop and microbiome responses to combined water and nutrient limitations

Description

Work package 2 determined the traits influencing (i) resource acquisition (below-ground dynamics of soil exploration by roots and leveraging of microbial activity, including that of root symbionts), (ii) resource utilisation (plant growth and resource allocation), as well as (iii) their interactions. This was achieved using phenotyping under combined realistic limitations of water and nutrients (as defined in work package 1) in field and controlled conditions platforms, as well as novel modelling solutions combining Functional Structural Plant Models (FSPM) and CSM. Phenotypic data on large panels were used for genetic analyses in work package 4. This enabled the SolACE consortium to draw links between crop performance, above- and below-ground traits and the root-associated beneficial microbiome, in oder to dissect crop response to combined water and nutrient stresses. Work package 2 also evaluated the functioning of novel genotypes (e.g. hybrid wheat and potato) produced in work package 4 to validate the implemented breeding process and/or stacking of traits in those genotypes

Objectives

Work package 2 measured and modeled the responses of potato, bread and durum wheat genotypes to combined water and nutrient limitations. The work package:

• Explored the variation of traits influencing resource availability, soil exploration and resource use under realistic water and N limitations within large panels of wheat genotypes, in high thoughput controlled conditions platforms.
• Analysed wheat responses (yield and yield-related traits) of the same panel to variations of resource availability in a network of field trials involving optimal conditions and combined water and N limitations.
• Identified diagnostic transcriptome signatures for N deficiency, P deficiency and drought stress in potatoes to enable the identification of the limiting stress in plants experiencing combined stresses.
• Analysed crop and microbiome responses to combined resource limitations using selected genotypes and novel hybrids grown in semi-field phenotyping installations and identified novel traits and microbiome signatures enhancing tolerance to these limitations.
• Coupled plant scale FSPMs and plot scale crop models to explore the most relevant aspects of the soil-microbiome-crop-atmosphere system and investigate the value of novel traits combinations.