Details
Project title:At the roots of health – Fruits and plants with improved nutritional content for a healthier diet in cancer prevention
Acronym:ARAS
Type: Project
Annuality: First
TP/LS of membership: CMDI/NdHCA 1
Lead Partner: CCS Aosta
Partner:Micosan Natura, Sodidea, University of Turin (Dept. of Plant Biology)
Status: Completed
THE PROBLEM ADDRESSED
The project aimed to investigate the contribution that microorganisms in the rhizosphere (i.e., the soil layer in contact with plant roots) can make in the cultivation practice of tomato and corn plants in order to obtain fruits and plants with improved nutritional intake, focusing on those natural compounds already known to play a role in human health and disease prevention, primarily antioxidant factors.
The intent is to create a highly controlled production chain from the laboratory to the table that allows for the all-natural production and marketing of plant foods (tomatoes, salad, cornmeal, etc.) with improved nutritional content, responding to the need for increased intake in the daily diet of natural compounds already known for their role in human health and disease prevention.
THE ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT
To achieve these results, an inoculum containing a specific microbiological consortium from the rhizosphere was developed, which was then used for hydroponic culture production of tomato and field production of other food vegetables. The University of Turin was responsible for the validation of molecular mechanisms on treated tomatoes, while CNR Pisa, which participated as an external consultant, was responsible for the validation of nutritional data.
