Physiological and molecular characterization of the interplay among N nutrition and water deficit in cultivated plants

Supervisor: Prof.ssa Zanin Laura

Nitrogen (N) is an essential macronutrient for plants and its availability in the soil influences plant growth and development. On the other hand, climate change is associated with an increase in drought episodes which have detrimental effects on crop production and quality. The availability of water and nutrients in the soil is strictly interconnected, but studies focused on multiple stress factors are still limited. In this scenario, the goal of the PhD project is to unravel the mechanisms of plant resilience to low N availability and water deficit by integrating physiological and molecular analyses on the aboveground and belowground plant system. This multidisciplinary approach will help to describe more accurately the varietal resilience to the edaphic conditions.