NCCR Director: Prof. Martine Rahier (2001-2008), Prof. Ted Turlings (2008-2013)
Home institution: University of Neuchâtel
Research in the NCCR and major results
Between 2001 and 2013 the NCCR Plant Survival was active in research areas such as access to nutrients, adaptation to changes in light and environmental variations, strengthening of the natural defences of plants, pollination mechanisms, and the control of invasive plants.
The NCCR made significant progress in the analysis of odorous signals emitted by maize when attacked by insects. These odours attract natural enemies that parasitise and eventually kill the insects. Certain maize varieties have lost this signalling ability over the course of selective breeding. In collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology (MPI-CE) in Jena, researchers managed to genetically engineer a maize line to restore the odorous signal that attracts nematodes.
In the pollination genetics field, NCCR researchers discovered that changing the expression of a single gene of a flowering plant (e.g. in Petunia integrifolia) is enough to change the preference of a specific pollinator (e.g. Bombus terrestris) for that particular species of flower.
Fundamental aspects linked to plant nutrition such as the use of light for growth and reproduction, the capture of photons and the adaptation of plants to variations in light waves, storage of vitamins in plants, starch metabolism and the ageing of leaves were elucidated.
Finally, the NCCR studied the possibilities of controlling the spread of Ambrosia, an invasive plant with highly allergenic potential.
Overview of NCCR projects and of participating research groups
Funding
The SNSF allocated approximately CHF 33 million to the NCCR Plant Survival over 12 years. As shown in the table below, this amounted to around 40% of the total sum of money spent by the NCCR. The remaining funds were contributed by the research groups involved and the University of Neuchâtel.
Funding 2001 - 2013
| | Period | |
|---|
| Funding sources (CHF) | 2001 - 2004 | 2005 - 2008 | 2009 - 2012 | 2001 - 2013 | % |
|---|
| SNSF funding | 12'907'878 | 13'412'112 | 7'508'340 | 33'828'330 | 38.5 |
| Self-funding by University of Neuchâtel | 6'236'208 | 4'807'742 | 3'458'216 | 14'502'166 | 16.5 |
| Self-funding by project participants | 11'468'845 | 14'170'085 | 10'849'831 | 36'488'761 | 41.6 |
| Third-party funding | 16'365 | 1'275'364 | 1'680'163 | 2'971'892 | 3.4 |
| Total | 30'629'296 | 33'665'303 | 23'496'550 | 87'791'149 | 100,0 |
International standing of Swiss research
Some of the research groups involved in the NCCR already ranked among the best in the world in their disciplines before the NCCR started. Nevertheless, the NCCR enabled the University of Neuchâtel to substantially strengthen its position and enhance its profile, not least thanks to the appointment of new professors. New appointments at other universities also increased the competitiveness of plant research throughout Switzerland. The share of publications in internationally respected journals rose continually over the years. During its life-time, the NCCR Plant Survival organised a series of international scientific conferences which helped to make the University of Neuchâtel internationally more visible.
Publications
| Type | Number |
|---|
| Peer-reviewed articles | 922 |
| Articles without peer review | 127 |
| Articles in anthologies | 20 |
| Books | 45 |
| Reports | 0 |
| Total | 1096 |
Structural development – Perspectives for the research domain
The NCCR Plant Survival made a major contribution towards the enhancement and networking of plant research in Switzerland. From 2001 to 2013, this multi-disciplinary network coordinated by the University of Neuchâtel was able to count on the support of teams from the universities of Fribourg, Bern, Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich, as well as both Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (ETHZ and EPFL) and research institutions such as Agroscope and CABI-Delémont.
The NCCR Plant Survival will be continued in the form of the “Swiss Centre for Chemical Ecology” established in 2014 at the University of Neuchâtel. This new centre will examine the role of chemicals in interactions between organisms, i.e. the primary form of communication in the living world.
Swiss Centre for Chemical Ecology
Structural measures |
|---|
| Number of created professorships | - 3 new full professors
- 4 new assistant professors
- 3 replacements (i.e. retired professors replaced by professor participating in NCCR)
|
| Junior group leaders | - The NCCR did not install Junior group leaders
|
| Infrastructure / platforms | - Platform: Chemical Analytical Service (CAS), in collaboration with Service analytique facultaire (SAF);
- Climate chambers and greenhouses at Neuchâtel
|
| NCCR network | - Universities of Neuchâtel, Fribourg, Bern, Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich, Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (ETHZ and EPFL), WSL, University of Applied Sciences Zollikofen, research station Agroscope (Reckenholz, Changins), FiBL-Frick, CABI-Delémont, and several private companies.
|
Knowledge and technology transfer to society and industry
Four public-private partnerships were signed via the Commission for Technology and Innovation (CTI), generating external grants totalling CHF 5 million. The partnerships developed natural methods of pest control in maize and grapevine, as well as weed prevention strategies. In addition, ten patents were filed, seven patents have been approved.
Knowledge and technology transfer
| Type | Number |
|---|
| Filed patents | 10 |
| Licences | 2 |
| Start-up companies | 0 |
| Prototypes, demonstrators | 0 |
| Processes, products | 63 |
| CTI projects | 4 |
In addition, young researchers who find a job in the private or public sector after completing their training are an important source of direct knowledge transfer to the private and the public sectors. In this NCCR, 14% of the doctoral students and postdocs found a job outside academia after finishing.
Promotion of young scientists and academic careers of women
The NCCR set up one of the first inter-institutional doctoral schools in Switzerland under the name of "Graduate School in Plants and their Environment"; the universities of Neuchâtel, Geneva, Lausanne, Fribourg and Zurich participated in the school. This programme served the CUSO (Conférence universitaire de Suisse occidentale) as a model for other initiatives. In 2009, the University of Neuchâtel integrated the programme into the Institute of Biology. It remains open to students from other universities, who make up about 25% of the student body.