Informations et ressources scientifiques
sur le développement des zones arides et semi-arides

Long-term Europe-Africa Research and Innovation Partnership for Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture

Titre : ECOBOOST : Boosting functional biodiversity to maximize ecosystem services for Mediterranean crop production

Pays/Région : Morocco ; Tunisia ; Algeria ; Italy ; Greece ; Turkey

Date : Start date 2022-10-01 // End date 2025-09-30

Identifiant : 499-ECOBOOST
Type de projet : Development and innovation oriented (research) project

Contexte
Crops are currently managed with unsustainable practices that cause the loss of biodiversity. In particular, pest management in the Mediterranean region still largely relies on chemical pesticides that negatively affect beneficial insects, disturb healthy microbial communities in the soil, threaten agroecosystem stability and food security. Novel strategies alternative to chemical control are required to combat biotic and abiotic stresses in the most efficient and environmental-friendly manner. Implementing agroecological practices that boost functional biodiversity and maximise ecosystem services is an eco-friendly and promising alternative to pesticide use in agriculture. Yet, agroecological practices, in addition, to being respectful of the environment, need also to preserve farmers’ income. It is becoming increasingly evident that functional biodiversity has to be promoted in multiple ways. For example, biodiversity at the crop level (crop biodiversity) holds great potential for Mediterranean agriculture : by rediscovering local varieties that cope well with abiotic and biotic stresses, external energetic inputs can be minimised. Another critical component of biodiversity is represented by beneficial arthropods that deliver the ecosystem services of pollination and pest control (aboveground biodiversity). Finally, an essential source of biodiversity is hidden in the soil of the farms (belowground biodiversity) since soil constitutes the main reservoir of microorganisms and provide several functions to support agriculture.

Présentation
ECOBOOST with developing and validating novel agroecological practices that boost functional biodiversity and maximise ecosystem services in solanaceous crops while minimising the negative environmental impacts of agriculture. This goal will be achieved following a holistic approach that will provide Mediterranean farmers with the knowledge and tools needed to implement agroecological practices and promote biodiversity at different levels
* aboveground, with the use of wild flowering plants in non-managed habitats to promote beneficial insects
* belowground, with the use biostimulants for seed coating and soil inoculation with selected critical microbes to promote soil and crop health at crop biodiversity level with the exploitation of germplasm of solanaceous crops, by screening _ * local varieties/breeds which are adapted to biotic and abiotic stresses that occur under Mediterranean conditions

To reach ECOBOOST objectives, a combination of laboratory and small experimental assays will identify the most promising wild Mediterranean plants, microbial stimulants and local varieties of solanaceous crops. Then pilot demonstration trials targeting end-users (farmers, SMEs) directly will validate the effect of the previously identified candidates as tools to improve the resilience of small-scale Mediterranean farms. In addition, ECOBOOST will increase public awareness of agroecological practices and carry out environmental and socio-economic analyses to assess the impact of their implementation in agriculture and the determinants of the acceptance by end-users.

Coordinateur : University of Palermo (UNIPA)
Partenaires : Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria (UNIRC) Frères Mentouri Constantine 1 University University of Göttingen Democritus University of Thrace Benaki Phytopathological Institute (BPI) Mohammed V University Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA-MAROC) Sousse University Isparta University of Applied Sciences (ISUBU)

Financement principal : Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) (H2020)
Budget : 1 479 069 EUR

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