ROOTRESERVE – Living Biodegradable Root-Zone Reservoirs for Climate-Resilient Agriculture

ROOTRESERVE is a Horizon Europe 2027 project concept focused on developing a biodegradable, bioactive root-zone matrix for climate-resilient agriculture and land restoration.

Young plants and restored landscapes are particularly vulnerable during establishment. Water stress, nutrient losses and poor survival of beneficial microorganisms can reduce plant survival and increase irrigation demand.

The proposed solution is a biodegradable material placed in the root zone that stores water and releases it gradually, reduces nutrient losses and creates a protected habitat for beneficial microorganisms around plant roots.

Expected project outputs include:

• biodegradable root-zone product prototypes;

• evidence on water retention and plant survival;

• microbial compatibility and soil-safety data;

• biodegradation and ecotoxicology assessment;

• a manufacturing, scale-up and market-entry pathway.

ANGUZAL AGROSERVIS can contribute:

• microbial formulation and compatibility testing;

• prototype production and process scale-up;

• trials under heat, salinity and soil degradation;

• agronomic and commercial validation in Central Asian conditions.

We are seeking an experienced Horizon Europe coordinator and complementary European partners, particularly materials/biopolymer RTOs or universities, soil-water specialists, biodegradation and ecotoxicology experts, forestry/orchard/land-restoration pilot sites and manufacturing SMEs.

We are open to jointly refining the concept, work packages, pilot design and consortium structure.