RHIBAC - Rhizobacteria for Reduced Fertiliser Inputs in Wheat

Rhizobacteria that associate with plant roots have been found to interact with cereal crops, giving benefits of plant growth promotion and/or protection against pathogens. The plant growth promotion effect, due probably to a combination of nitrogen fixation, mobilisation of nutrients in the soil and excretion of plant hormones, may permit reductions in N and P chemical fertiliser inputs for inoculated plants.
<P>
The development and use of rhizobacteria inoculants can therefore contribute to reductions in pollution related to fertiliser inputs, and to boost protein content in cereals, an important quality trait. However, the mechanisms and the most beneficial conditions of plant growth promotion are still unclear, since field and greenhouse studies have to date lacked reproducibility. RHIBAC will study most promising/pre-characterised rhizobacteria identified in previous EU and national research projects in Europe, Brazil and Chile. It will aim to understand the mechanisms of plant growth promotion through experiments with genetically modified rhizobacteria and monitor root colonisation with reporter strains.