TRIBIOME's vision is to develop and implement a systemic solution to transform current food production systems. To this end, TRIBIOME aims to advance alignment with the Green Deal and Farm2fork strategies, by deepening the knowledge of soil/plant/animal and human microbiomes, as well as their interrelationships and interconnections, so that they can play a leading role in the resilience of food production systems in the near future. TRIBIOME will face the main challenges such as the need to minimize resources, reduce the environmental impact and promote healthy and plant-based food chain while feeding a constantly growing world population under the paradigm of climate change. This project aims to drive this concept from its base, establishing its central nucleus in current agricultural production systems based on the relevancy of the soil and plant microbiome, in order to produce more with less, through knowledge of microbial biodiversity and its interaction with the plant, developing novel technologies to influence its modulation (i.e., those enhancing plant growth, nutrient use efficiency, abiotic stress tolerance and better nutritional and health quality of food products) in such a way as to generate an upgrade quality food and have a positive influence on the microbiomes of both animals and humans. To this end, we will work cooperatively in a multiactor approach framework with all actors in the food production systems chain, from farmers to consumers, industry, investors and policy makers, in order to develop systemic solutions that guarantee their implementation and solve the real problems and needs of society.

CLIMED-FRUIT aims to broaden EIP Operational Group outcomes across borders, in the field of adaptation to climate change and mitigation for perennial crops in Mediterranean Area, by compiling and sharing knowledge ready for practice.

The EU citriculture is threatened by the emerging disease Huanglongbing (HLB, also known as Greening), considered the most devastating citrus disease due to its rapid dispersal, severity and fast progression of symptoms, huge losses in fruit production and quality, cost and difficulty of preventing new infections, lack of resistant citrus varieties and economically feasible treatments for infected trees, and absence of durable control mechanisms. HLB generates multimillion economic losses to citrus industry. Now it is time to start the research in the EU because the vector Trioza erytreae has been detected and is spreading in Spain and Portugal. The overarching objective of Pre-HLB is to develop and implement a holistic contingency plan to protect the citrus sector in the EU from HLB disease drivers and to co-create new solutions to manage the disease through a multidisciplinary approach and in collaboration with experienced partners from America and Asia. The Pre-HLB work plan includes three specific objectives to monitor progress: a) Pre-HLB preventive actions and development of mid-term tools will limit HLB potential introduction, reducing the potential economic impact in EU (estimated in 7.7 billion euros) by 40% b) The consortium will contribute to improve current HLB surveillance, contingency and control strategies. Up to 100,000Ha of citrus cropping area will be monitored to obtain field information on potential HLB infection and the dynamics of the vector in the subareas of highest risk, thus limiting disease/infestation spread. c) Excellent European research centres will join forces to fill research gaps in vector biology, host/vector/pathogen interactions, Aurantioideae genetics and genomics, as well as to develop new biotechnological tools, such as new effectors, metabolites, bio-stimulants and biopesticides.Results will identify HLB-resistance traits and will allow to generate long-term resistance.This is one major milestone in the field of citriculture.

Climate change amplifies food safety risks by fostering the proliferation of pathogens and contaminants in the food supply chain, and introducing unfamiliar or novel hazards. Among the food safety threats, because of their ubiquity, MYMATCH will consider the effects of climate change on a selection of mycotoxins (related to fungi belonging to Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Alternaria) occurring in maize, wheat, tomato, and nuts. Thanks to a strong and multi-actor partnership, MYMATCH will contribute to i) the prediction and mitigation of risk related to fungi and mycotoxin occurrence, ii) the assessment of mycotoxins exposure in humans (concerning different diets) and animals, and iii) the implementation of proper risk management measures. This will be achieved with data collection taking place at different levels, from literature considering events that happened in the past, under controlled environments and open fields, enabling the generation of the missing datasets needed to fulfil the project aims. This will support the development and implementation of fungi and mycotoxin predictive models founded on accurate climate change scenarios to anticipate the changes in mycotoxin occurrence in European food systems. MYMATCH AI mycotoxin management Platform will be the final output, the support for all food system actors with tailored predictions, recommendations, and mitigation approaches. By using this platform, the agri-food researchers, farmers, industry stakeholders, and policymakers, involved in the project through the MYMACTH’s Multi-Actor Framework, will be assisted in taking threat-mitigation initiatives and in decision-making, both in the short- and strategic long-term planning. MYMATCH tools and methods will be generated in a way that is easily extendable to other contaminant issues and co-created and developed with a strong interaction with potential users like EFSA.

BIO2 aims to transform organic farming (OF) by replacing contentious inputs with sustainable alternatives through innovative R&D. The main innovations are: (i) combining marine materials (fish discards and seaweed byproducts), microorganisms, and recycled sewage nutrients to create fertilizers tailored for OF; (ii) encapsulating biocontrol agents (e.g., yeast and bacteria) in biogenic materials to enhance their efficacy in protecting crops from diseases; (iii) developing processes for manufacturing microalgal-based agricultural fungicides; and (iv) producing immunostimulants and bark extracts with antiparasitic properties. To facilitate the integration of BIO2 solutions into OF and make them viable for farmers, we will scale up production processes and provide sufficient materials for testing in agronomic and animal trials from the project's early stages. The efficacy of these products will be studied and compared with contentious inputs, such as copper- and sulfur-based fungicides, mineral oils, manure from conventional farming, and synthetic antibiotics. BIO2 will prioritize sustainability assessments and actively engage stakeholders (industries, the OF sector, farmers transitioning to OF, and consumers) to develop products that are both environmentally friendly and accepted by end users. Potential barriers, such as raw material quality and availability, product costs, farmers’ acceptance, and regulatory challenges, will be addressed by diversifying material sources and involving key actors. By leveraging advanced technologies and interdisciplinary collaboration, BIO2 will deliver tangible outcomes, including the industrial production of at least 1 biocontrol agent, 2 fertilizers, and 1 antiparasitic treatment. Through its comprehensive approach, BIO2 not only addresses current limitations in OF but also contributes to broader sustainability goals by reducing environmental impacts and promoting a circular economy.