ARI REVIEW FOR 2016-2017

AGROBIOTECHNOLOGY The Agrobiotechnology Section was established in 2008. Its purpose is to provide solutions to arising agricultural problems with the application of advanced, modern techniques using state-of-the art laboratory equipment. Research activity in Agrobiotechnology encompassed molecular biology, food science, agricultural microbiology and agricultural chemistry projects. Quantitative and qualitative tests for the presence of genetically modified seeds in imported corn and soybean were carried out. The antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of natural products such as essential oils and plant extracts have been investigated. Research on traditional products derived from grape juice like sutzioukkos, kiofteri and palouzes has been initiated. The impact of treated wastewater use on the microbial load of fruits and vegetables has been explored. Bacteria able to degrade fungicides and herbicides have been isolated and characterised. Screening of local isolated microalgae strains was performed in order to isolate efficient and promising strains for biofuel production and added value co- products . The section research activities also involve participation in different EU funding projects such as HORIZON2020, LIFE+ and FACCE-SURPLUS. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS AND ECOLOGY OF AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEMS The efficiency of symbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria in cowpea Cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata ) cultivation is one of the most important legume crops in Cyprus. Its capacity to establish relationships with symbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria is crucial for the reduction of production costs and the risks of the excess use of nitrogen fertilisers. This study assessed the efficiency of new strains of symbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria isolated from local cowpea varieties. Totally, thirty strains have been isolated from different cowpea genotypes and evaluated under axenic conditions about their impact on cowpea growth. From these strains, two have been scored as the most promising and selected for further evaluation. A pot experiment using sterile sand as a substrate was employed and a completely randomised design with 10 replicates was implemented to test the efficiency of the inoculation of ARIbrad#7-12-5, ARIbrad#9-17-3 on cowpea performance. The aforementioned strains were compared to a strain ARIbrad#2-15-1 with no effect on cowpea and non-inoculated controls (with and without mineral nitrogen). The highest biomass and N content measured in plants received mineral nitrogen followed by the inoculation treatments. The lowest performance was noticed in non-inoculated plants grown under nitrogen free conditions. Significant correlations between nodule numbers, dry biomass production and N content were calculated demonstrating the beneficial effect of inoculation on cowpea performance. Our group is currently evaluating the ability of these strains to promote cowpea productivity using less nitrogen fertilisers under field conditions. ( M. Omirou, D. Fasoula, I.M. Ioannides ) Soil microbial community structure in different agricultural systems It has been debated that agricultural systems influence the structure of soil microbial communities, which are the core stone for soil fertility. In this research our aim is to gain further insight into how organic and conventional agricultural systems influence soil microbial communities. A factorial experiment (2x3) consisted of the 2 systems and 3 crop rotation schemes established at the experimental Station of Acheleia. The experiment is a randomised complete block design in a split-plot arrangement with 3 replicates. First results showed that both factors have a significant effect on soil microbial communities while this is also related to phosphorus levels in soils. The research continues and the results are expected to reveal the differences between the two systems and test the hypothesis that specific microbial guilds are favored by crop rotation scheme. The study is partially funded by European Union in the context of the LIFE+ORGANIKO (2015-2019). ( M. Omirou, D. Fasoula, I.M. Ioannides, P. Dalias ) 73 Agrobiotechnology