MICRObial formulations to improve crop growth and resilience under DROught stress and Phosphorus deficiency

The main objective of the project is to devise efficient bioinocula formulations that include beneficial microorganisms, like plant growth promoting bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, to increase the productivity and resilience of crops, such as maize, in soils affected by drought and P-deficiency, while reducing the need for chemical fertilization. The project will encompass the use of new carriers on the development of bioinocula formulations for further application in field assays. The project also aims to identify genes to drought and P-deficiency differentially expressed in bioinocula treated-plants.