BIO-MEMORY

The project is organized in 3 main activities:

1) Implementation and updating of the BioGenRes network of biobanks, with a focus on nationally/internationally recognized collections of animal, plant or microorganism species samples (animal and plant germplasm banks, microbial strain libraries of pathogenic/toxigenic organisms, nematodes, soil and water microflora and microorganisms used in agro-industry and food (e.g. microbial starters for fermentations)).

2) Replication (rejuvenation) and expansion of material stored in collections. For plant and microbial collections: multiplication of accessions for which a small amount of material is available and rejuvenation of accessions whose seed viability data are below the expected standards (> 85%). For animal collections of zootechnical interest: collection and freezing of genetic material of local breeds to complete sampling carried out in previous projects or expansion of the number of species and breeds stored in cryobanks.

3) Biochemical, molecular, metabolic, functional and phenotypic characterization of the material conserved in the biobanks of the BioGenRes network, also in order to carry out association studies and to identify markers associated with traits linked to production and/or adaptation to biotic and abiotic stress factors.

PRIN AGRITECH (SPOKE 1) - Plant, animal and microbial genetic resources and adaptation to climatic changes

Plant, animal and microbial genetic resources and adaptation to climatic changes

The resilience of agricultural and forest ecosystems under stressful conditions generated by climate change requires the enhancement and exploitation of genetic resources through state-of-the-art conservation strategies, combined with in-depth genome characterization and high-throughput phenotyping.

Activities include large-scale sequencing of accessions/breeds/strains, extensive marker-based genome descriptions, elucidation of the (pan)genome, deep phenotyping, and multi-omics characterization.

The resulting information, processed through advanced methods for the analysis, interpretation, archiving, and management of complex data, will highlight superior alleles/haplotypes, identify beneficial interactions across a variety of conditions, and define conservation units.

PRIN 2022 PNRR HELO-CONS - Characterization of helophytes plant species for the consolidation of the river banks

This research explores how helophytes (semi-aquatic plants) survive flooding and prevent riverbank erosion. Flooding limits oxygen, stressing plant life; however, certain species have evolved unique traits to thrive.

Key Objectives:

1. Evaluate Resilience: test the survival of plant species from selected species under sustained submersion
2. Identify Adaptations: study genetic strategies and physical traits like specialized oxygen-transport tissues.
3. Stabilize Soil: Quantify how root and shoot biomass can reinforce riverbanks and prevent collapse.

Impact & Applications:

1. Ecological restoration of degraded waterways.
2. Natural riverbank reinforcement strategies.
3. Biodiversity conservation in shifting hydrological climates.

PRIN 2022 HYSENT - Hypoxia sensing and tolerance in plants: a landscape genomics approach

Oxygen is essential for plant life, but flooding severely depletes oxygen levels in tissues, leading to reduced growth and significant agricultural losses. Despite the discovery of oxygen-sensing mechanisms a decade ago, the development of flooding-tolerant crops remains limited. This project aims to identify hypoxia adaptation mechanisms by studying over 1,000 Arabidopsis and barley ecotypes from diverse environments.

The research employs landscape genomics, an innovative field that integrates population genetics with spatial statistics to understand how environmental heterogeneity influences genetic variation. By correlating genetic data with climatic variables, the study seeks to identify specific polymorphisms, genetic markers, that allow plants to resist or tolerate oxygen deficiency.While leveraging the extensive genetic tools available for Arabidopsis, the project extends its findings to barley, a highly sensitive crop. Because the barley genome is well-mapped, researchers can use gene editing to apply identified adaptation strategies directly. Ultimately, this parallel approach between a model plant and a major crop provides the tools necessary to develop resilient agricultural systems and ensure future food security in the face of global environmental change.