Plant growth promoting endophytes for enhanced drought resistance
A novel collection of endophytic microbial strains has been identified to enhance maize growth under drought stress. These strains, isolated from arid grass species, offer potential applications in agriculture, particularly for lawns and crop fields.
Overview
This innovative solution involves a novel collection of endophytic microbial strains that have been shown to enhance the growth of maize seedlings under drought stress conditions. These microbial strains, originally isolated from grass species in arid climates, hold significant potential for improving agricultural resilience to drought. The application of these strains not only enhances plant growth but also offers a sustainable approach to managing water scarcity in agriculture.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- Endophytic microbial strains: Sourced from grass species in arid regions, these strains have been characterized at molecular, biochemical, cellular, and physiological levels.
- Drought resistance: Demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing maize growth under drought conditions.
- Versatile application potential: Initial findings suggest applicability to lawns and potential for broader crop use.
- Development plans: Future validation includes testing on various grass species, field condition trials, and application method development.
Technology readiness level
This technology is currently at TRL 4, indicating that it has been validated in a lab environment. Ongoing and future research will focus on testing in relevant grass species, field trials, and development of application and formulation methods under co-development partnerships.
About University of Antwerpen
University of Antwerp is a comprehensive public research university in Flanders with a strong international orientation. Industry collaboration is enabled by co-located laboratories and shared prototyping facilities, an integrated university hospital for clinical translation, and a research and technology park that hosts startups alongside corporate R&D. Its urban campus sits minutes from the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, giving partners access to one of Europe’s largest chemical and logistics clusters and a dense supplier base. Research is supported by competitive funding from the European Union and national and regional agencies. A dedicated technology transfer office supports IP management, licensing, and spin‑out formation, and connects companies with faculty expertise and facilities.
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