Achi news desk-
The project, called Tolerance, examines ancient soil samples taken from deep below the Arctic.
Dr Ross Alexander, plant molecular biologist at Heriot-Watt, said: “The Tolerate team are using samples from the palaeolithic period, around 100-200,000 years ago, because the planet was warming then, much like it is now.
“The aim of the project is to find out if past plants, soil and bacteria can help our current crops to survive in a rapidly changing planet.
READ MORE: Edinburgh 2024 Beltane Fire Festival sees huge crowds on Calton Hill
“Drought is a particular concern for crops around the world. According to the European Drought Observatory’s latest report, 47% of the EU is in warning conditions and 17% is in warning conditions. Grain yields are falling by as much as 10% in some areas.”
Patient scientists at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany have already isolated the DNA of some of the prehistoric bacteria from the samples.
The Heriot-Watt team will carry out tests to determine whether this ancient DNA can help today’s bacteria support plants when water is scarce.
Dr Alexander said: “Bacteria play a huge role in plant health. They release compounds that may help plants retain moisture around the roots, act as glue to help support the soil or help the plants get the nutrition they need.
“We’ll be using controlled growth chambers above ground to see if we can use the bacteria to drought-proof barley, one of Scotland’s biggest crops.”
READ MORE: Ancient house wedding stone mystery solved after 350 years
Professor Stephen Euston, expert in food chemistry at Heriot-Watt, said: “We are in contact with farmers and landowners across Scotland to source soil samples.
“Agricultural systems in the UK and around the world face multiple stresses, including climate change, pressure for land for housing and population growth.
“If we could grow food crops such as barley on marginal land that is currently unsuitable for agriculture due to problems such as drought, there would be huge economic and social benefits.
“In addition, the molecules these bacteria produce to help improve the availability of soil and water for crops could be used elsewhere.
“We are working towards producing large enough quantities of these molecules to test them in biomedical and industrial cleaning applications, for example.
“Having access to these ancient samples is an incredible bonus. There could be a huge wealth of biological resources that we could use to improve our environment today and in the future in Scotland and around the world.”
The team will recruit a PhD student and a postdoctoral student to help with the research.
