The Baars Lab is going to be a part of a large collaborative effort to increase wheat resilience. The project is funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation and has three major research areas: “Matrix,” “Interact,” and “In Root.” Our lab will focus on the “Interact” sub-project which is our short-hand for the full project title ‘Decoding the Rhizobiota Interactome for Improved Crop Resilience’.
Microorganisms in the root environment provide a wide range of ecosystem services to maintain a healthy environment for plant growth. The goal of Interact is to decode microbial interactions in the complex soil matrix, in relation to various external stresses and the impact of these interactions on plant performance. The Baars lab is excited to dive in and begin to elucidate chemicals in the root environment that are produced by roots and microorganisms for communication, competition, and to mine nutrient resources. The overarching goal is to utilize the potential of microbes to increase plant resilience to common stresses.
To read more about the Collaborative Crop Resilience program and its goals click here.
