Optimizing plant nutrient and health strategies for a climate-resilient rice cropping system

Reference person
Luisella Roberta
Celi
luisella.celi@unito.it

Host University/Institute
Università degli Studi di Torino

Internship
Y

Research Keywords
phosphorus biogeochemistry in plant-soil systems
biobased solutions
rice nutrition and health

Reference ERCs
PE10_9 Biogeochemistry, biogeochemical cycles, environmental chemistry

Reference SDGs
GOAL 2: Zero Hunger
GOAL 13: Climate Action

Studente

Supervisor

Co-Supervisor

Description

Rice cropping systems represent the most widely investigated wetland in view of the peculiarity which characterizes nutrient cycling and impacts climate. Rice is traditionally cultivated under flooding conditions causing an increased phosphorus (P) supply in solution, counteracted by the oxidizing environment around the rice roots, which lead to the coprecipitation of iron (Fe) and P, forming the Fe plaque. Recently we observed that also fertilizer-P can be entrapped on Fe-plaque. However, the extent by which the P trapped by Fe plaque surfaces represents a source and/or a sink to rice plant uptake remains largely unknown, as well as the effects on rice health and performance. Furthermore, rice agroecosystems are also widely required to reduce water consumption and find new saving water technologies to face the dramatic effects of climate change. This can change the interplays between reducing conditions and rhizospheric oxygenation that control P availability. The aim of this PhD thesis aims i) to investigate the role of these plaque as source or sink of P for rice plants also under different water management techniques and the effects on plant health, iii) to develop and test biobased products that may control the function of Fe plaques as sources or sinks of nutrients and pathogens. This project launches the creation of anEuropean R&D hub of BAIC AGRO Italy srl within the Butterfly Area of UNITO to start a virtuous process for the attraction of foreign investments.

Suggested skills:

Chemometry, statistics, spectroscopy

Research team and environment

The Soil Biogeochemistry research team is composed by 7 Researchers and two post-doc with a deep knowledge on soil biogeochemistry and nutrient cycling in both agricultural and natural ecosystems, with focus on carbon, phosphorus and nitrogen processes and particular attention to improving the bioavailability of nutrients in environments characterized by specific dynamics, such as rice paddies. The work will be in collaboration with the team of Plant pathology with prof. Massimo Pugliese, to assess combined abiotic and biotic stress.