One of the highlighted projects, “HEAT4VIGNA – Thermal stress tolerance in Cowpea: transcriptomic and reproductive analysis”, focuses on the genetic improvement and registration of new varieties of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) to increase their tolerance to climate change. The initiative will evaluate the reproductive performance and productivity of four cowpea varieties under thermal stress, complemented by transcriptomic analysis to support the selection of more resilient plants.
The second project, “FUNGI-PEP: Development of peptides with membranar action for the control of fungal infections as a driver of sustainable agriculture”, proposes an innovative and sustainable approach to combat fungi affecting grapevines using plant-derived antimicrobial peptides. The aim is to reduce the application of synthetic and copper-based fungicides, thereby lowering production costs.
Both projects, which will officially commence in January 2027 and run until the end of 2029, were selected from 184 applications in the 8th edition of the Promove Program – The Future of the Interior, which awarded approximately 6 million euros in non-reimbursable grants.
