Biotechnology from desert microbial extremophiles for supporting agriculture research potential in Tunisia and Southern Europe

The project BIODESERT aims to strengthen a molecular microbial ecology research platform already existing in Tunisia, which actively performs collaborative research for the development of straightforward strategies of Microbial Resource Management (MRM) for agriculture in arid environments. The final objective is to expand the existing platform and improving the related technical and research knowledge, for addressing agricultural problems and exploiting microbial biotechnology that can support the development of a bio-economy in Tunisia and North Africa. The idea behind BIODESERT is to create the conditions, in term of advanced research equipments and up-to-date know how, for developing research in the field of microbial applied biotechnology from the extremophiles living in the arid and desert environments characterizing Tunisia and North Africa. We believe that microorganisms living in these harsh environments hide important properties that could be exploited in agriculture for improving soil water retention, fertility and plant protection in arid ecosystems. For this purpose, BIODESERT intends to recruit three experienced researchers that will set up in the laboratory of the Tunisian partner a Microarray system, a Real Time-PCR and a confocal fluorescence microscope and will develop the most recent analytical techniques based on these advanced tools. The three researchers will benefit of training periods in two European laboratories (in Italy and Greece) that already use these technologies. These activities will result in the transfer of know how to the Tunisian partner that will be able to improve the research potential in the microbial biotechnology of arid ecosystem. By a careful dissemination strategy planned in the ambit of BIODESERT, the improved knowledge will be spread in the scientific environment and the society of Tunisia and other North African countries, promoting the application of MRM for improving agriculture sustainability in arid ecosystems.