EVOLVE

Climate change increasingly exposes crops to drought and indirectly aggravates nutrient limitations by disrupting soil moisture and nutrient cycling. These combined stresses can cut cereal yields by up to 50% in Europe, while low fertilizer efficiency accelerates soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and nitrogen-driven green-house gas emissions, further amplifying climate change. EVOLVE pioneers a breakthrough biotechnology that translates extracellular vesicle (EV)–mediated rhizosphere signaling into actionable breeding and bio-input tools to enhance wheat resilience, nutrient efficiency, and grain quality under combined drought × nitrogen deficiency. Built on the hypothesis that EV-associated small RNAs and metabolites released by roots steer soil microbiomes, EVOLVE decodes and applies EV communication to shape beneficial plant–microbe interactions. Using wheat as the target crop and barley as a diploid reference, the project will: (1) identify EV cargos coordinating root–microbiome interactions and nutrient cycling under single and combined stresses; (2) apply AI-driven multi-omics integration to link EV cargos with plant performance and microbial functions; (3) translate molecular markers into double haploid breeding pipelines for rapid fixation and combination of complementary stress resistances; and (4) develop synthetic and algal-derived EVs via microfluidic encapsulation as programmable, bio-based fertilizers. Validated in aeroponic and soil systems reproducing drought, nitrogen limitation, and their combination, EVOLVE will deliver a TRL4 proof-of-concept for non-transgenic EV-guided breeding tools and next-generation biofertilizers that enhance NUE and WUE by ≥10–15%, stabilize yields, improve grain quality, and reduce N2O emissions and nitrate leaching. By merging EV biology, predictive breeding, and synthetic delivery, EVOLVE defines a new route toward climate-resilient, high-quality, low-emission cereal production in Europe.