AZODURE

AZODURE aims to develop Azospirillum inoculation technology for cereal seeds so that it can be implemented in the next decade as an alternative agricultural practice to reduce fertilization needs and plant sensitivity to erratic climatic fluctuations, and satisfy social aspiration for an environmentally friendly agriculture that maximizes field eco-efficiency. Azospirillum is a naturally-occurring associative symbiotic bacterial genus that enhances cereal roots development and performance, therefore enhancing crop performance. AZODURE is a multidisciplinary and industrial research project that innovates on its three objectives : 1/ industrial agroengineering innovation development with concern for the seed inoculation technology and the legal framework; 2/ gain of knowledge on ecosystemic medium-term (4 years) benefits (for plants, soil natural bacterial communities and soil water retention capacity) as well as crop productivity and economic gain; 3/ interaction with the socio-economic, political and higher education actors for outreach and dissemination of technology implementation. Partners and actors will work jointly on 9 closely-linked tasks. The Isère/Porte-des-Alpes (IPA) territory will serve as framework to develop these tasks mobilizing a range of scientific disciplines (microbial ecology, plant ecophysiology, agronomy and soil science, economy, law) along with a range of stakeholders (a private company, farmer organizations, policy makers, education actors).