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Agricultural and food sciences
- Agricultural plant production not elsewhere classified
Yellow peas play a key role in sustainable agriculture by enriching the soil, reducing synthetic fertilizers, and providing a sustainable source of plant-based protein. Our project aims to enhance regional yellow pea cultivation by identifying three elite rhizobia strains from our unique rhizobium collection as bio-inoculants that provide the plant with a natural source of nitrogen, promoting sustainable agricultural practices and yielding protein-rich seeds. Thanks to the unique and essential complementary expertise of UGent and HOGENT, we can validate these strains both in the laboratory and in the field with current market varieties of yellow peas and physiologically relevant agricultural soils. We will also further explore the market potential, file a patent application concerning the selected strains, and engage in exploratory discussions with potential licensees.