SIRAM - Sustainable Innovations for Regenerative Agriculture in the Mediterranean Area

The SIRAM concept is based on four regenerative agriculture pillars: (i) beneficial microorganisms for plant growth and pest control ; (ii) crop varieties with resistance towards abiotic and biotic stresses; (iii) agronomical practices to safeguard soil quality and fertility; and (iv) bioeconomy approaches to recycle and valorize waste biomasses that restore soil organic matter and have biostimulant properties. All these methods have been partly implemented in the past for specific locations, but a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach for testing them altogether in several Mediterranean locations with different pedo-climatic conditions is still missing. Furthermore, SIRAM will enforce advanced approaches based on plant and microbial genomics, novel co-formulation of biomasses, assessment of the role of microRNAs in plant-microbe interactions, integrated assessment of soil quality and socio-economic analyses. Thus, SIRAM activities include some spanning from TRL2 (understanding of basic biological processes governing plant-microbes interactions under biotic and abiotic stresses, WP3) to TRL5 (demonstration activities to be carried out at lighthouse case studies). In between, activities of intermediate TRLs are being carried out: understanding of the genomics of model species, screening of plant resistances by molecular markers, in-depth analyses of soil quality. Given the novelty of some of the biotechnologies employed (i.e., discovery of novel bacterial and fungal strains with biostimulants and/or bioprotection properties, assessment of the biostimulant activity of waste biomasses, new formulates with microbes-biomasses, introduction of resistant crops) patents may also be developed. In this processes, uttermost attention will be given to the protection of local biodiversity (in accordance with Nagoya protocol) and to the local empowerment of women and men, in order to promote basic farmers’ income and local knowledge. This is why a high number of local dissemination activities are foreseen in the project (WP6): 4 courses on the 4 project pillars, and a total of 12 workshops linked to the 8 case studies implemented in the project.

The results of the SIRAM activities will bring benefits to NGOs, producer associations and farmers networks from the various Mediterranean countries. The address will be the restoration and enhancement of agro- and functional diversity. Such new practices will improve the sustainability and resilience of the farming systems as a support to plant growth and resilience/tolerance to pests. SIRAM will help to fill some gaps of knowledge on the mechanisms by which biostimulants explicate their inhibitory effects on pathogen/parasite growth. Outcomes will be useful to improve plant response to stresses (biotic and abiotic), and to develop high quality and efficient pilot products that can be available for a scale production and delivery on the market.by spin offs and SMEs. SIRAM will work in contact to industrial partners to translate the obtained research findings into practice. Tools will be given to farmers by partners companies operating in biological control and other producers of inputs that will have contributed to their development for integrated control management strategies in market garden crops. The project will be an asset for training program for young scientists/Training session on biological control of soil- borne pathogens including telluric fungi, bacteria and nematodes, on molecular tools to study plant micro-biome interaction (development of markers, genes expression, and bioinformatics)/BCASs yearly Meetings/ International symposia. Scientific publications from SIRAM team will have an impact on the general knowledge on regenerative agriculture, soil quality, biocontrol of pests and plant immune system.