The overall objective of PlantaSYST is to establish a Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology (CPSBB) in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, as a joint initiative of three Bulgarian research institutes located in Plovdiv (Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Maritsa Vegetable Crops Research Institute, and the Stefan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology, Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology) and two institutes located in Potsdam, Germany (Potsdam University and Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology).

BG05M2OP001-1.003-0001-C01 "Complementary support for Bulgarian scientific organizations implementing projects under the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, WIDESPREAD-Teaming Phase 2".

A major challenge faced by modern agriculture is abiotic stress caused by unfavourable environmental conditions. Global warming is expected to further intensify these problems, including frequency and severity of drought stress, which seriously affect both crop quality and yield. In this project, we will study the genomes of several resurrection species and compare them with the genomes of desiccation-sensitive plants to identify molecular mechanisms that are involved in drought tolerance. In addition to the publicly available data of resurrection plants with already sequenced genomes, we will sequence and analyze two more- Haberlea rhodopensis and Xerophyta humilis.

"The main goal of the project ‘Researchers in Knowledge Triangle’ (K-TRIO 3) is to bring researchers and their achievements closer to the society, and young people in particular. The project aims to contribute for increasing the number of researchers and innovators in Europe by making the society and especially young people aware of excellent achievements in research and innovation, in particular: FET flagship initiatives , large scale initiatives like ""Next Generation Internet"" and HPC, Centres of Excellence and projects with Bulgarian participation supported by the H2020.