In vitro mass production of “biotized” plants for sustainable food security in Cuba (BIOFOCUs)

Summary

Food crop production in Cuba has decreased dramatically in recent years resulting in massive import of food products. Sustainable in vitro seedling production is a promising approach for year-through production of healthy plant material, for propagation of new varieties and for seed production. Despite the high potential of in vitro seedling production, plant loss due to stress in the field is the major drawback hindering a large-scale implementation in smallholder farms. In this project, we will use a plant-tailored inoculation (‘biotization’) by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) to mitigate this problem. Through smart monitoring of plant health on the field we will anticipate faster and more precisely when plant health is at stake. Our inclusive approach involving smallholder farmers, policy makers and young researchers will foster the broad introduction of this plant ‘biotization’ technique. This knowledge-driven innovation will contribute to a higher and more sustainable food production, and will impact livelihoods and food sovereignty in Cuba.

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