Aarhus University’s EVOLVE project is investigating biological communication between wheat roots and nearby microorganisms. Led by Ivan Paponov, the team is especially interested in extracellular vesicles: small membrane-bound particles that may carry molecules capable of influencing microbes. The programme will examine whether such interactions could eventually inform crop breeding.
Researchers plan to begin with 48 wheat genotypes and use AI to help identify patterns in biological data. Eight organisations in seven countries are participating in the three-year EU-funded project. Aarhus explicitly describes the proposed mechanism and its agricultural usefulness as questions to be tested. Improved fertiliser efficiency or drought tolerance has not yet been established by this project.
