Adaptation of Arabidopsis halleri to metal-polluted soils: linking environmental, genomic, and phenotypic information
Phytoremediation is a sustainable way to mitigate societal and environmental harm from soil pollution with metal trace elements. Yet, limited knowledge of plant adaptation to excess metals limits the efficiency and broad application of this emergent technique. This interdisciplinary project unites leading research and commercial partners in a combined study of the genetic basis and physiological mechanisms of zinc accumulation in a model species. Project mobility foresees intense training of the main applicant and three students in the Swiss partners’ high-quality laboratories. In five interlinked modules, we will identify genes involved in metal homeostasis and assess their impact on metal uptake and allocation in plants from polluted vs natural habitats. Besides purely scientific merits, the identified genes can be i) engineered into high-biomass crops to enhance metal accumulation and support phytoremediation or ii) suppressed to increase agricultural productivity and food quality.
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