Research

To strengthen the BOKU Core Facilities "Bioactive Molecules: Screening and Analysis" (BMOSA) and "Analysis of Lignocellulosics" (ALICE), an ERDF project for the acquisition of new high-performance infrastructure is being submitted to the Federal State of Lower Austria as part of the REACT-EU initiative. The planned purchases in the field of instrumental analytics will ensure that the two core facilities at the Campus Technopol Tulln site can continue to be operated in accordance with state-of-the-art technology in the future. In this way, access to the most modern large-scale equipment infrastructure can be guaranteed for a wide range of users both within BOKU and for third parties in the coming years. The planned investments ensure the continuous further development of the respective working- and research areas of BOKU and thus also sustainably strengthen the Campus Technopol Tulln as a research location.

Zur Untersuchung der molekularen Grundlagen der Pflanze-Mikroorganismen Interaktion haben sich die so genannten „-OMICS“-Techniken als besonders leistungsfähig herausgestellt. For the investigation of the molecular basis of plant-microbe interactions, the so-called "-OMICS" techniques have proven to be particularly powerful. The primary goal of this project is to expand the existing method portfolio for metabolome analysis of plants, microorganisms and their interactions. In particular, many interesting questions have arisen within the framework of the FWF project SFB FUSARIUM (2009-2019). Two of the open scientific questions related to resistance mechanisms of the host will be investigated by directly applying the new methods to Fusarium-treated wheat samples. The new scientific knowledge gained on Fusarium head blight will serve a better understanding of the metabolism of plants under stress. The project will therefore provide novel insight into plant defence mechanisms and can help in the long term to develop new control strategies and measures for sustainable plant protection. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

This collaborative research effort continues to investigate mycotoxin occurrences in staple foods (e.g. raw cereals, legumes, nuts and oilseeds) in various regions of Nigeria in an attempt to categorize these foods into low- and high-risk groups based on their susceptibilities to mycotoxins over several years. In addition, factors (e.g. postharvest storage of grains) encouraging increased mycotoxin levels in the foods are also being studied. On another front, we are investigating mycotoxins and bacterial contaminants in ready-to-eat foods vended in rural and sub-urban markets in Nigeria. These studies are necessary to estimate the exposures and risks posed to the Nigerian population due to dietary exposures to the important toxic fungal compounds (e.g. the carcinogenic aflatoxins and fumonisins). Furthermore, the impact of seasonal variations on mycotoxin exposure in households is a pertinent topic under study in the rural northern region of Nigeria, where the malnutrition and stunting rates are quite higher than other parts of Nigeria. In view of the ongoing pandemic, it is of priority interest to examine the mycotoxin issue in sub-Saharan Africa and juxtapose this with the pandemic vis-à-vis issues of food security and safety. It is envisaged to publish our findings, which shall serve as reference points for local food control agencies and regulators to promote safe food and improve public health in Nigeria.