Work Packages

DARkWIN will be executed in 42 months, and it is structured in 4 technical Work Packages (WPs): CSIC, DORIANE and NOVAGRIC will develop the insect geo-positioning device in WP1, the core component that will be integrated with other plant-growth and data capture related elements to build the phenotyping platform in WP2. CSIC, MAX PLANCK, DORIANE, NOVAGRIC will use that platform in WP3 to establish the scientific basis of the concept by phenotyping a tomato mapping population generating multi-omic datasets for breeding purposes based on insect decisions. Breeding lines provided by UNIGENIA and selected in WP3 will feed WP4 for proofing DARkWIN concept by producing pre-commercial F1 hybrids. CSIC will lead all partners in management, communication and dissemination activities in WP5.

Pert chart

A RFID geo-positioning system will be configured and validated for the accurate detection and quantification of the plant x pollinator interactions at the single plant level, and optimized to minimize the impact on bumblebee's behavior. This technology will be scaled to the phenotyping platform in WP2.

Design, construction, and compartmentation of a phenotyping platform with a capacity to grow up to 1,000 tomato plants for the complete cycle at optimal planting density to secure individual and automated phenotyping by the pollinator. The platform will integrate a versatile environmental and irrigation control system and the insect geo-positioning device connected to a data acquisition, notation, and management system integrated into pollinator-assisted breeding software.

A tomato mapping population originating from Solanum lycopersicum x Solanum pimpinellifoliumwill be phenotyped at the platform developed in WP2 based on agronomical/physiological/pollinator-related traits under optimal and climate change scenarios. The generated information will serve for the identification of morphological, nutritional, metabolic, transcriptomic, and hormonal traits influencing pollinator's choices; the identification of QTLs and candidate genes of flower's traits influencing resilience and pollinator's foraging decisions; and all the Data will be integrated into a pollinator-assisted breeding software. The tomato population will be scored and promising lines selected for WP4.

Pollinator and breeder-based selection of a collection of tomato breeding and elite parent lines under optimal and combined water x temperature stress will be carried out. The selected lines will be used for the generation of unprecedented set of F1 pre-varieties based on pollinator selection. Pollinator- and human-selected F1 hybrids will subjected to phenotyping for pollinator's preference under climate change scenario. Future new F1 varieties based on natural selection of pollinators will be protected.

Coordination, in an executive, technical and scientific way, all project's tasks, by implementing all legal, technical, gender and financial aspects, and raise awareness of benefits of DARkWIN platform in scientific and industrial communities.