On March 31, the presentation event for the ‘MICROCLIMATT Operational Group: Microalgae for Productive and Sustainable Agriculture’ was held. This project is led by a consortium of companies and R&D centers aimed at addressing the needs of modern agriculture; that is to meet the demands of a population that requires agricultural activities to not only respond to the interests of increasing productivity and quality but also to respectfully and sustainably confront the challenges of mitigating the effects of climate change.
In summary, productive, efficient, and sustainable agriculture economically, socially, and environmentally. One of the most promising solutions currently is the use of biostimulants, products that act on plant physiology in various ways, improving vigor, crop yield, and fruit quality. They are biologically sourced products, residue-free and safe, increasingly used in a wide variety of crops.
Microalgae are one of the most promising sources for developing this type of stimulating products. They are photosynthetic microorganisms that, thanks to their rich biochemical composition and the properties they possess, constitute a high-quality and strategically valuable raw material for use as agricultural inputs.
Microalgae are responsible for at least half of the planet’s primary productivity and atmospheric oxygen, thus being a fundamental base for life on Earth. They are also CO2 fixing organisms, so their cultivation can help combat climate change.
The MICROCLIMATT project aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of innovative bio-stimulant solutions derived from microalgae to efficiently combat the effects of climate change on crops of significant importance, such as tomatoes and wheat. The consortium will evaluate in these crops the effects that, at physiological, biochemical, and gene expression levels, are induced by treatment with novel microalgal bio-stimulants, including conditions of water stress or low fertilization rates. Work will also focus on quantifying the carbon captured by soils and crops treated with the proposed bio-stimulants.
The MICROCLIMATT project, with a budget of 557,816.49 euros and financed by the General State Administration (AGE) through the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), is promoted and coordinated by AlgaEnergy, a leading international company in the microalgae biotechnology sector and its applications, and includes top-level members such as the Institute of Plant Biochemistry and Photosynthesis (IBVF) of the University of Seville and the CSIC, the Madrid Institute for Research and Rural Development, Agricultural and Food (IMIDRA), the Center for Edaphology and Applied Biology of Segura (CEBAS-CSIC), and the Young Farmers Agrarian Association (ASAJA). Furthermore, BIOVEGEN – Technological Platform for Plant Biotechnology will coordinate the activities of valuation and dissemination.
Thus, the webinar “MicroClimatt Operational Group: Microalgae for Productive and Sustainable Agriculture” had the participation of more than 120 professionals from the sector and was dedicated to presenting the objectives and activities of this innovative project. To do this, the program included three well-defined blocks that allowed addressing the developments of the project from three key perspectives: company, science, and farmer/end-user.
The vision of the developing company was provided by AlgaEnergy, which is already implementing pilot and industrial-scale cultivation of the strains of microalgae that will be used for the development and production of bio-stimulants. For its part, CEBAS-CSIC, IBVF-US-CSIC, and IMIDRA presented the promising perspectives of the effect of these bio-stimulants on the proposed crops (wheat and tomato, which are highly relevant in the Spanish primary sector) and in the treated soils. Finally, ASAJA showcased the commitment of science, companies, and farmers to collaborate in conducting demonstrative trials of these innovative bio-stimulants from microalgae.
About AlgaEnergy
AlgaEnergy is a biotechnology-based company exclusively specialized in the microalgae sector. The company consolidates the deep existing knowledge in Spain about microalgae science, generated by universities and other research centers over the last five decades. With strong investment in R&D, it has positioned itself as the international reference in this field. AlgaEnergy’s mission is to develop and market innovative and high-quality solutions based on microalgae, aimed at addressing specific needs in different industries.
About IBVF
The Institute of Plant Biochemistry and Photosynthesis (IBVF) is a Mixed Center of the University of Seville and the CSIC, aimed at studying the biology of photosynthetic organisms responsible for the primary production of organic matter and oxygen in the biosphere. A distinctive feature that sets the IBVF apart from other centers in the field of biotechnology and plant biology is its approach to studying phototrophic biology in all its complexity, that is, using all types of photosynthetic organisms (cyanobacteria, microalgae, and plants). The scientific activity at the IBVF focuses on the molecular and cellular biology of photosynthetic organisms, as well as on “omics” techniques (transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) and massive data analysis.
About CEBAS
CEBAS-CSIC aims to contribute, through research, to generating the necessary knowledge to develop strategies for achieving sustainability of the fragile resources existing in semi-arid areas, managing them correctly and enabling the development of quality agriculture and the production of healthy and safe plant-based food in that environment. The research conducted will help address issues such as water scarcity, provide a better environment (reducing greenhouse effects, conserving soil and vegetation, as well as organic matter and carbon), thereby ensuring sustainable, intelligent agriculture that is adapted to climate change and has the capacity to mitigate it.
About IMIDRA
The Madrid Institute of Rural, Agrarian and Food Research and Development (IMIDRA) is the public research body of the Community of Madrid, aimed at carrying out R&D actions and supporting innovation in the primary sector and its associated industry. It has 8 farms and facilities for implementing R&D, pilot projects, and demonstration activities, providing analysis services, disseminating and showcasing its results, offering training, and facilitating the transfer of R&D results. In MicroClimatt, it participates through the Department of Agro-Food R&D.
About ASAJA
Asaja (Association of Young Farmers) was created in 1989 as a result of the merger agreement between CNAG, CNJA, and UFADE. It is a professional agricultural organization in Spain, with more than 850 offices spread across the national territory. It has a National Headquarters located in Madrid, 15 Regional Centers, 40 provincial offices, and 810 local offices, in addition to a permanent representative office in Brussels. Asaja is established for the representation, management, defense, and promotion of professional interests in the agricultural sector in general and its member organizations with full legal personality subject to strictly democratic principles. As a national organization with a general vocation, it encompasses all branches of agricultural activity in its agricultural, livestock, forestry exploitation, environmental management, and hunting activity modalities. The national office consists of a technical department (each specialized in a specific subject), a labor-fiscal department, a communication department, and a training department.
About BIOVEGEN-Technological Platform for Plant Biotechnology is a public-private association currently composed of 152 members (companies and research/technology centers) working on agbiotechnology innovation. The aim of BIOVEGEN is to promote R&D activities in collaboration between science and industry, provide R&D management services, and facilitate the business development of its members through plant innovation. BIOVEGEN is supported by the Ministry of Science and Innovation.
“Content responsible: MICROCLIMATT Operational Group”