JUNO: Justification for Using Natural Optimizers of plant health
MINERVA_TECB
Project title: JUNO: Justifying Use of Natural Optimizers of plant health/ Project acronym: MINERVA_TECB
JUNO directly amplifies MINERVA (lead PI Prof Stengel, University of Galway) impacts by 1) adding value to seaweed extracts prepared during MINERVA by a) increasing knowledge of other activities that the extracts are likely to possess through screening and characterising them for plant hormones and/or the ability to upregulate endogenous plant hormone levels and b) by identifying the mechanism through which MINERVA extracts improve plant resilience by identifying whether elements of the plant immune system are upregulated in response to treatment with the extracts. Both elevating TRL of MINERVA outputs. JUNO also adds value to MINERVA by 2) amplifying and diversifying dissemination strategeries. Communication and dissemination plans include a) extending networks, with the Associate Partner increasing the country reach within Europe of MINERVA and JUNO, b) open access publications that include new information generated by JUNO about MINERVA extracts. JUNO will additionally generate videos that will be made publically accessible and will be designed to support acceleration of BlueBio-centred ideas and methods relating to MINERVA and JUNO and supporting the growing community of BlueBio focused researcher in Europe. Inclusion of Associate Partner allows some of these to be in Spanish thereby diversifying reach with regard to language as well as knowlege access and techniques support. Training, Exchange, and Capacity Building are integral and at the forefront of JUNO activities and are met through training two postgraduate researchers, and diversifying training, and skills set through research placement. The latter will also facilitate capacity building at the level of knowledge, competencies, and ideas, as well as through training. Capacity building at the level of the BlueBio community is also supported through communication and dissemination activities.