CROP BOOSTERS will leverage the cultivation of dedifferentiated plant cells (cells that have lost their specific functions and have reacquired proliferative capacity) and terrestrial cyanobacterial communities to produce compounds that can mitigate stress symptoms in tomato plants exposed to drought. 

Plant cell cultures will be used to produce phytoextracts (LIST) which are rich sources of anti-oxidants and osmo-protectants. Plant cell cultures will have a dual use: the biomass will be harvested for extraction, while the conditioned medium (the culture medium in which plant cells have grown) will be used to isolate extracellular vesicles (FUB). 

N-fixing terrestrial cyanobacterial communities contribute to the supply of N to crops and secrete compounds with plant growth-promoting and stress-mitigating effects. They will be cultivated (UBAS) and screened to identify the most promising.

Physiological approached (UCL) will validate the efficacy of the biostimulants and biofertilizers produced on Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. “Moneymaker”.