Plant-microbe interactions and plant genetics

To sustain life and its quality on Earth, the EU has established several initiatives for the implementation of the Green Deal: Zero Pollution Action Plan, Farm to Fork and Green Deal Industrial Plan, among many others. All of these require significant innovation, based on new knowledge and skills – research, training and education – coupled with industry adaptation, civil society engagement and smart regulation, which is a challenge globally. More importantly, we need significantly more people who can carry out this innovation. The main objective of “Innovative Chemistry and Biotechnology for a Sustainable Future” (INNOCHEMBIO) is to train future experts of sustainable chemistry and biotechnology, helping Europe to take the next steps in the green transition. The solutions and trained experts can reduce the environmental impact of the chemical and agricultural industries, offer eco-friendly analytical techniques, and assess the safety of new materials. This will be achieved through interdisciplinary research projects in an international research environment, collaboration with the industry, the public sector and the civil society, via a comprehensive quadruple-helix based training programme. As a result, our graduates will not only become experts in their respective fields, but leaders and spokespersons. Eventually, through dedicated career planning, we provide skilled workforce to all 4 sectors of the helix. INNOCHEMBIO is an international consortium led by TalTech, with over 100 years of experience in chemistry and biotechnology research and training. INNOCHEMBIO will achieve its objectives by recruiting 15 PhD candidates in up to two calls offering fellowships for 48 months. During this period, the candidates will receive discipline specific training both in Estonia and abroad by working on their research project; broader training through courses offered at TalTech and by our partners; and experience working in the private sector.

TAIM brings together plant biology expertise and infrastructure in Estonian R&D institutions, serving as a platform for fundamental and applied plant science and offering services in the fields of plant biology and plant valorization. TAIM supports research-based knowledge generation for plant breeding and growth practices, contributing to sustainable agriculture, plant valorization and food production. TAIM supports adoption of new breeding techniques and food quality analyses. The aims of TAIM are to 1) support local smart food production from soil and seeds to food by creating opportunities for modern plant breeding and analyses of plants, plant-related microbes and food quality; and 2) improve research-based knowledge generation for plant breeding and growth via adoption of modern phenotyping and digital analysis techniques, allowing to assess the effect of climate change on food production and contributing to smart sustainable agriculture.

MARTA addresses agronomically and economically important traits in plant breeding to support sustainable and self-sufficient food production in Estonia. We will create novel breeding knowledge together with a toolbox of modern breeding tools (including novel genetic markers, genomic selection and genome editing). Target traits for breeding include climate-resilience, disease resistance, product quality, production sustainability and high yield. We have chosen 7 strategically important crop species for Estonia as prime targets for application of modern breeding tools. Wheat, barley and potato are important in ensuring energy and protein supply as food crops. Nitrogen fixing capability and high protein content (29% of seed dry matter) of faba bean make it a strategically important crop in Estonia’s protein self-sufficiency. Apple and blackcurrant are important horticultural crops ensuring a healthy diet and providing a local supply of vitamin- and antioxidant-rich resources for the industry. Bridging the gap between fundamental and applied plant biology will allow faster translation of research results into breeding. The research questions (Q) addressed in the project range from broad phenotypic and genotypic screening to application of precision breeding and creation of novel genetic markers. The establishment of a pipeline for using genomics and transcriptomics results will speed up and create new possibilities for breeding climate-resilient future crops. Q1 aims to create specific scientific knowledge, data and results for input to Q2 and Q3, which serve to develop modern tools for breeding (e.g. novel genetic markers for disease resistance, pre-breeding material from precision breeding). MARTA will generate and validate a modern breeding toolbox for flexible and sustainable plant breeding in Estonia to ensure food security.