Trade-off between growth and defense in durum wheat – TRADEOFF
Understanding the growth/defense trade-off for better use of biocontrol and growth promotion products
Two categories of plant stimulants are used in agriculture: biostimulants (growth promotion) and defence elicitors (or defence inducers). Despite the increasing use of these products (+12% worldwide growth over the last 5 years), few scientific studies have been devoted to deciphering the physiological impact of this new type of product alone or in combination.
A better understanding of trade-offs between growth and defense is essential for the development of biocontol and stimulation products
This project has three objectives: (1) First, we assume that there are conditions under which growth and defence can be optimized. Our first objective is to better understand, under controlled conditions, the relationship between growth and defence triggered by different plant stimulants, with or without intraspecific competition; (2) We hypothesize that some genotypes may present a limited compromise. Our second objective is to explore the relationship between growth and defence in different species and within the same species; (3) we hypothesize that experiments under controlled conditions should allow for an evaluation relevant to the compromise in real field conditions. Our third objective will be to field test our discoveries in order to provide convincing proof of concept for biostimulant manufacturers, farmers and breeders.
Durum wheat, which faces disease and yield challenges and for which partners 1 and 3 have accumulated preliminary data relevant to this project, will be the main focus of the project. Other plants will also be evaluated to produce generic knowledge for the main cereals.
The TRADEOFF project will benefit from four major advantages: (1) a new ability to perform simultaneous growth and defence measurements in a comparable manner in several cereal species (BGPI), (2) strong expertise in complex trait phenotyping (BGPI), (3) new statistical tools for genomic data analysis (AGAP) and finally (4) the ability to perform complex field trials (Frayssinet).
The expected results are: (1) a better understanding of the growth/defense trade-off in a wide range of biological situations and genetic contexts, (2) identification in durum wheat of genotypes where growth and defence are not negatively correlated and genetic markers to select this trait, (3) proof of concept for stakeholders (farmers, biostimulation product developers and breeders) that the use of stimulation products can be optimized.
The project is proceeding normally
None
Two categories of plant stimulants are used in agriculture: biostimulants (growth promotion) and defence elicitors (or defence inducers). Despite the increasing use of these products (+12% worldwide growth over the last 5 years), few scientific studies have been devoted to deciphering the physiological impact of this new type of product alone or in combination. Yet in plants, investment in defence against pathogens is often costly for growth and reproduction (and therefore yield), a phenomenon called trade-off between growth (production) and defence (protection). This compromise is reinforced by the limitation of resources, a situation that occurs particularly in fields where plants explore identical niches and are therefore subject to strong competition. Conversely, the use of plant defence inducers has adverse effects on growth. These adverse effects of biostimulants and defence inducers due to the growth/defense trade-off could limit their use. A better understanding of trade-offs is essential for their development.
In the TRADEOFF project, we aim to better understand this compromise by using an integrative approach using molecular biology, physiology and genetics. In order to obtain maximum impact from our results, we will combine experiments in the field and under controlled conditions.
This project has three objectives: (1) First, we assume that there are conditions under which growth and defence can be optimized. Our first objective is to better understand, under controlled conditions, the relationship between growth and defence triggered by different plant stimulants, with or without intraspecific competition; (2) We hypothesize that some genotypes may present a limited compromise. Our second objective is to explore the relationship between growth and defence in different species and within the same species; (3) we hypothesize that experiments under controlled conditions should allow for an evaluation relevant to the compromise in real field conditions. Our third objective will be to field test our discoveries in order to provide convincing proof of concept for biostimulant manufacturers, farmers and breeders.
Durum wheat, which faces disease and yield challenges and for which partners 1 and 3 have accumulated preliminary data relevant to this project, will be the main focus of the project. Other plants will also be evaluated to produce generic knowledge for the main cereals.
The TRADEOFF project will benefit from four major advantages: (1) a new ability to perform simultaneous growth and defence measurements in a comparable manner in several cereal species (BGPI), (2) strong expertise in complex trait phenotyping (BGPI), (3) new statistical tools for genomic data analysis (AGAP) and finally (4) the ability to perform complex field trials (Frayssinet).
The expected results are: (1) a better understanding of the growth/defense trade-off in a wide range of biological situations and genetic contexts, (2) identification in durum wheat of genotypes where growth and defence are not negatively correlated and genetic markers to select this trait, (3) proof of concept for stakeholders (farmers, biostimulation product developers and breeders) that the use of stimulation products can be optimized.
Project coordination
Elsa Ballini (Biologie et Génétique des interactions Plantes-parasites pour la Protection Intégrée)
The author of this summary is the project coordinator, who is responsible for the content of this summary. The ANR declines any responsibility as for its contents.
Partner
BGPI Biologie et Génétique des interactions Plantes-parasites pour la Protection Intégrée
FRAYSSINET R&D FRAYSSINET
AGAP Amélioration Génétique et Adaptation des Plantes méditerranéennes et Tropicales
Help of the ANR 219,881 euros
Beginning and duration of the scientific project:
December 2019
- 36 Months