Project
NUE-CROPS - Improving nutrient efficiency in wheat, oilseed rape, potato and maize to reduce negative environmental impacts of crop production
The project NUE-CROPS develops knowledge, models and tools required to breed/select Nutrient Use Efficient (NUE) CROPS and to integrate NUE-crops with agronomic innovations to significantly reduce fertiliser use and associated negative environmental impacts of crop production, while maintaining or improving crop yield and quality.
![nue-crops_logo.jpg nue-crops_logo.jpg](/upload_mm/f/e/f/526b0eab-a00b-4c58-bb72-73f7f2008f76_nue-crops_logo_d52e5cd7_183x102.jpg)
Objectives
The strategic concept/objectives of NUE-CROPS are to support the:
- Development of NUE-VARIETIES of 4 major European crops (wheat, oilseed rape, potato, maize) for different marcroclimatic regions. This will be based on:
- classical QTL identification methods;
- association genetics approaches;
- gene expression profiling (and where appropriate proteomic, metabolomic analyses and/or
analytical transformation analyses);
- whole plant physiological studies.
R&D activities will focus on the 4 major crops species, but deliverables from studies with model plants/crops (Arabidopsis, Brassica rapa, barley) will be used as genetic bridges for the genetically complex crops wheat and oilseed rape.
- Integration of NUE-CROPS with innovative management approaches (e.g. improved fertilisation regimes, rotational designs, winter cover crop use and, tillage systems). This will be based on:
- field experiments to evaluate the impact of NUE crops under contrasting agronomic scenarios;
- the construction/validation of models/algorithms for nutrient budgeting/precision farming systems.
- To establish an efficient training and dissemination programme aimed at rapid exploitation and application of project deliverables in commercial crop production.
More information
For more information please visit the NUE-CROPS website.