IMPLiCIT: Improving soil-plant-insect interactions to promote pollinators
Studying how soil microbes influence plant-pollinator interactions in sunflower to enhance soil biodiversity, plant growth, and ecosystem functionality.
The disruption of plant-pollinator interaction is of great agronomic concern. Another relevant problem is soil degradation, which affects the microbial population and its role in soil fertility and plant health.
IMPLiCIT aims to verify whether soil fertility and quality, mediated by microorganisms, can directly impact plant-pollinator interactions by modifying plant volatile organic compounds, nectar and pollen composition and play a key role in the ecosystem functionality. Sunflower is used as a model plant. Several microbial strains will be tested in the field to define the most suitable combination capable of:
- increasing soil functionality and biodiversity;
- sustaining plant growth;
- enhancing pollinator activity.
Project Details
- Funding Programme: PRIN 2022
- Coordinator: Libera Università di Bolzano
- Duration: 28/09/2023 - 28/02/2026
Research Group
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Scientific Officer
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Daniele Alberoni
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Chiara Braglia
- D.D. MUR: n. 104 del 02/02/2022
- MUR Project Code: 2022NMAPEL
- CUP: J53D23006680006