CitrusAId

The CitrusAId project aims to develop cutting-edge biotechnological tools to create improved citrus plants that can better withstand environmental stresses such as drought, heat, pest and diseases, while also offering enhanced nutraceutical properties through the enrichment of beneficial compounds and the reduction of undesirable ones. Citrus is one of the most widespread fruit crops worldwide with an important socioeconomic impact in the Mediterranean area. Central to the project is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze large-scale omics datasets and in-house resources, enabling predictive identification of promising gene candidates for targeted genetic engineering. Secondly, the proposal also aims to support innovative genetic engineering strategies (CRISPR/Cas9 and RNAi) based on the use of novel bionanomaterials as tunable carriers do deliver gRNA, dsRNA and Cas9 protein, enabling the generation of transgene free plant material. The research extends from the molecular to the organismal level: seedlings will be analyzed under stress conditions using phenotypic, transcriptional, metabolomic, and hormonal profiling, while fruits will be assessed for the enrichment in native (flavonoids) and non-native (stilbenes) nutraceutical compounds considering any potential side effects on sensory quality. Work plan of CitrusAId is structured into 11 complementary and interconnected work packages (WP) that combine AI-driven gene discovery, novel hybrid nanomaterials-based genetic engineering methodologies, automated phenotyping, and sustainability assessments, along with dissemination and management activities. CitrusAId consortium is constituted by 11 partners from Spain, France, Italy and Germany and the duration of the project has been established in forty-eight months, that enables CitrusAId to deliver a proof-of-concept of the efficacy of the developed technologies providing viable plants by the end of the project implementation.