Phosphorus; Root exudates; P use efficiency; P fertilizers; Salt stress; Modeling; Diseases; Microbiota; Food security
Abstract :
[en] In Africa, agriculture is by far the economic sector that contributes most to the local development and employment incomes. However, limited water availability, nutrient deficiency, soil salinity and plant diseases are, among others, the most damaging biotic and abiotic constraints to crop productivity. These constraints impact plant growth by affecting key physiological, biochemical and molecular functions. In addition, many soils exhibit an inherent low fertility level, in particular for phosphorus (P) which represents an adverse constraint to achieve better yields. Our projects aim to improve the fertilizer use efficiency in responses to adequate fertilizer inputs as well as crop responses under two main constraints namely soil salinity and plant diseases. This will allow us to propose an integrated approach in order to develop a more sustainable plant P nutrition. On one hand, a new approach based on root investigation both morphology and functioning (growth mapping, exudates, etc.) and the related rhizosphere microorganisms will be adopted to improve P use and acquisition efficiency. On the other hand, we will investigate the modeling responses of crops to P-fertilization under salinity conditions to develop an early prediction tool to mitigate this constraint. We will also address the impact of P-fertilizers supply on microbial biodiversity and their role on phytopathogenic effect alleviation, which might cause considerable losses in crop production. These projects will contribute to link laboratory to field experiments, for a better understanding of soil-plant-microbe interactions under different biotic and abiotic contexts.
