CPSBB is the coordinator of the FRUITFUL project

With academic, research and industrial partners from seven countries. Scientists apply innovative biostimulant-based molecular priming approaches to mitigate abiotic stresses (cold, drought, heat, frost, highlight-UV stress-induced damage) in fruit and nut orchards predominantly cultivated across Europe, Latin America, Asia and New Zealand. The focus is on enhancing soil health, fruit set, fruit quality in pome fruits (apples, pears); stone fruits (cherries, peaches, plums, mango); citrus (oranges, lemons, tangerines); tree nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts) and berry fruits (kiwi).

By integrating transcriptomics (RNA-seq) and metabolomics (GC-MS, LC-MS), researchers aim to identify key genes and metabolites involved in abiotic stress responses. They also explore the biostimulant-mediated stress tolerance in selected fruit and nut species.

Soil and plant microbiomes (bulk soil, rhizosphere and endosphere) will be analysed using 16S rRNA and ITS sequencing, shotgun metagenomics, and metabolomics.
Bioinformatics and predictive modelling will link microbial diversity, composition and function to soil quality, tree growth, and productivity, providing mechanistic insights into biostimulant-driven processes for more resilient orchards.

The project is funded by Horizon Europe: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Grant Agreement: 101299655