BNP-FRUITRESCUE-Assessing the risk of maladaptation to climate change in temperate and Mediterranean fruit trees; funded by the BNP Paribas Foundation under the Climate & Biodiversity Initiative
BNP-FRUITRESCUE The project aims to predict the adaptive potential of both crop and wild populations of key fruit trees—such as apple, apricot, peach, olive, and grape—in response to climate change. This goal is accomplished by integrating population genomics, climate modeling, and phenotypic data. The data will be collected from orchards established in several European countries as living germplasm collections, a Noah’s Ark for Wild Fruit Trees as a solution in the context of biodiversity collapse. The data is analyzed by experts in genomics, climate modeling, fruit tree evolution and breeding, and policy decision-making, with valuable input from community science initiatives.
Project duration: 2023-2027
Project budget (IBRC Cluj): 324.090 RON (65.200 Euro)
The BNP-FRUITRESCUE is coordinated by CNRS (France). It includes 14 multi-disciplinary partners from 5 EU Member States.
Context: Climate change poses a significant threat to biodiversity and food security. To mitigate its impact on food production, it is crucial to characterize and utilize the diversity of wild relatives, particularly for the fruit tree crop species. By analysing the interaction between genotype x phenotype x environment, the BNP-FRUITRESCUE project is identifying the fruit trees genotypes that will be able to withstand a changing climate and where they should be planted to ensure fruit production.
Objective of the IBRC Cluj Team: Monitoring of climate factors and phenotypic characterization of 110 genotypes of Malus sylvestris collected from different climates across Europe (Austria, Denmark, France, Italy, Spain, and Romania) and planted in the experimental orchard in Sovata (Romania).
Project Team at IBRC:
- Dr. Anamaria Roman (project director at IBRC)
- Dr. Tudor Ursu
- Dr. Dana Șuteu
- Dr. Thomas Kuhn
- Tehnician Irene-Andreea Türk