Globally, over a third of all crop yields are lost due to abiotic and biotic stresses such as drought, flooding, heat stress, pests and diseases. Increasingly it is understood that microbes from the soil environment as well as those actively colonizing plants can improve plant nutrient acquisition and afford some measure of protection against biotic and abiotic stresses. Thus, future efforts to improve crop productivity while reducing chemical fertilizers and pesticides will undoubtedly benefit from harnessing favorable plant-microbe interactions.

The three synergistic CCRP research efforts, MATRIX, INTERACT, and InRoot, collectively represent an unparalleled opportunity to deeply interrogate the plant-microbe communities of an important commodity crop (wheat) and a model crop (Lotus japonicus).

 

For more information, visit https://ccrp.vcl.ncsu.edu/

 

TEAM

Amy Grunden, North Carolina State University

Ignazio Carbone, North Carolina State University

Oiver Baars, North Carolina State University

Gina Brown-Guedira, North Carolina State University

Marc Cubeta, North Carolina State University

Colleen Doherty, North Carolina State University

Christine Hawkes, North Carolina State University

Manuel Kleiner, North Carolina State University

Heike Sederoff, North Carolina State University

Ross Sozzani, North Carolina State University

Cranos Williams, North Carolina State University

Mette Haubjerg Nicolaisen, University of Copenhagen

Jens Stougaard, Aarhus University

Erik Østergaard Jensen, Aarhus University

Carsten Suhr Jacobsen, Aarhus University

Svend Christensen, University of Copenhagen

Bjarne Kjær Ersbøll, Technical University of Denmark

Jens Christian Frisvad, Technical University of Denmark

Lars Hestbjerg Hansen, University of Copenhagen