The WheatBiome project recently reached a key milestone with the successful completion of its second harvesting and sampling campaign, which took place on June 11th and 12th, 2024. Teams from the Universidade de Vigo, Universidade do Porto, and the Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde (LAQV/REQUIMTE) conducted extensive fieldwork in the wheat-growing region of Zamora, Spain.
This campaign is a critical part of WheatBiome’s Work Package 1 (WP1), aimed at understanding the relationship between soil health and wheat microbiomes under different agricultural practices. The teams collected over 1,000 samples from three distinct wheat fields, each employing a different farming method:
- Conventional Irrigated
- Conventional Non-irrigated
- Organic
Main Objectives of the Campaign:
The main objectives of this campaign included:
- Characterising soil physicochemical properties to better understand the soil composition in each field.
- Extracting microbial DNA from both soils and wheat plants to study the microbiomes involved in wheat production.
- Evaluating wheat’s nutritional and protein profiles, key factors in determining crop quality.
- Analysing wheat sample quality and safety, ensuring that the crops are suitable for sustainable production and consumption.
Towards a Decision Support System
The data collected from the analysis of soil properties, microbiomes, and wheat quality will be used to create a multivariate model. This model will form the foundation for a decision support system (DSS), which is to be developed in the upcoming Work Package 2 (WP2), led by ART21. This DSS will provide farmers and stakeholders with valuable insights into soil and crop management, contributing to more sustainable and resilient agricultural practices.
A Step Forward for Sustainable Agriculture
This milestone is a significant step in WheatBiome’s mission to enhance soil and wheat microbiomes for more sustainable farming. By improving our understanding of the complex interactions between soil, plants, and microorganisms, the project aims to support the transition to agricultural practices that are both productive and environmentally friendly.
Stay tuned for further updates as we continue to explore innovative ways to improve sustainability in wheat production.
