1. Szeged – Timişoara axis for the safe food and feed SZETISA1 HURO/0901/147/2.2.2. Erdei László Department of Plant Biology University of Szeged Project Inaugural Meeting Szeged, 2-3 February, 2011

2. i)The two sides of the micronutrient availability (deficiency and excess); ii) The presence of microbial toxins due to microbial (fungal and/or bacterial) infections and their effects on the microelement accumulation (effects of toxins on channel activity); iii) Toxins and physiological/metabolic processes; iv) The effects of genomic background on micronutrient accumulation and distribution. General objectives: The interactive effects of abiotic, biotic and genetic factors on the performance of wheat, maize and alfalfa plants and yield components that may influence nutrient quality and safety

3. Activity Package 0 11/2009 – presentPreparation activities Preparatory Meetings: -25.11. 2009 Szeged; 13.01.2010 Timisoara Activity Package 12/2011 – 5/2012 Project management Project preparatory meetings 2; Szeged 1, Timisoara 1 Progress reports and closing report progress report 3, closing report 1 Closing seminars 2; Timisoara 1, Szeged 1 Improved infrastrucure in the laboratoriesSzeged 1,Timisoara 3 instruments Activity Package 2 2/2011 – 5/2012 Communication activities Results - Project meetings 5; Szeged 3, Timisoara 2 Results - Publications 7; Szeged 5, Timisoara 2 Outputs - Number of participants in meetings 20 in each, altogether 100. Project Booklet, 100 pcs., Project brochure - 100pcs. Outputs - Number of readers in newspapersN/A Outputs - number of authors in scientific publications, number of students on courses 6 authors, 300 students

4. Activity Package 3 02/2011 – 05/2012 Research and Development 1. Procuration of equipments 2-7/2011 Szeged, Timisoara Procuration of equipments is planned in both localities to improve infrastucture. In Szeged, an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) is planned for the multielement analysis of microelements in environmnetal, food and feed plant samples in the region of mg/kg to pg/kg. In Timisora, the purchase of a Bioanalyzer, a UV-VIS Spectophotometer and a cooling centrifuge are necessary to improve molecular biological work. 2. Determination of microelements as affected by microbial infection or heavy metals presence. 7/2011 – 5/2012 Szeged, Timisoara These will be determined in 2 wheat cultivars, 2 corn genotypes (GM and conventional) and alfalfa cultivars of different susceptibilities. Microelements will be determined in Szeged, microbial presence and toxins in Timisoara. 3. Determination of antioxidant defence mechanisms as influenced by microbial toxins 7/2011 – 5/2012 Szeged The catalase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase activities will be determined in the same biologicical material. In addition, glutamine syntethase iso-enzymes and Rubisco levels will be determined by 2D gel chromatography. These will be carried out in Szeged. 4. Effects of genomic background on essential and toxic microelements 7/2011 – 5/2012 Szeged, Timisoara This subactivity is based on earlier results: we have shown out significantly different levels of Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn in wild, ancient and cultivated wheat species in the genera Triticum and Aegilops. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) cultivars also show different phytoremediation potential for both inorganic and organic pollutants. Besides the analysis of wheat and alfalfa cultivars, investigation for their membrane-transport mechanisms and photosynthetic activities will also be carried out.

5. Increase laboratory infrastructure 2 laboratories, Szeged 1, Timisoara 1 Results - Determination of factors influencing food (wheat ) and feed (fodder corn and alfalfa) nutrient safety and mineral composition 3 groups, mineral factors, toxin factors, genetic factors Output - Equipments for mineral analysis and for molecular biological work Szeged, 1 ICP-MS equipment; Timisoara, 3 molecular biological equipments. Output - Mineral composition, toxins, genetic background 3 for wheat, 3 for corn and 3 for alfalfa: mineral composition 1, toxins 1, genetic background 1., each, together 9 Results and Outputs

6. Reporting periods Activities 0. 01.11.2009- 31.01.2011 1. 01.02.2011- 31.05.2011. 2. 01.06.2011- 30.09.2011. 3. 01.10.2011- 31.01.2012. 4. 01.02.2012- 31.05.2012. A0 PreparationM A1 Management A2 Communication M M M M A3 Research Preliminary sample collection Szeged Timisoara Procuration and installation of equipments Szeged, Timisoara, Plant growing and sample collection Szeged, Timisoara Physiological and biochemical measurements Szeged Microbiological and toxin investigations Timsoara Element analysis Szeged Closing activities Szeged, Timisoara, Time-frame Bars represent the periods of activities. Locations of activities are noted under the bars. Bold M, meetings in Szeged; Italics M, meetings in Timisora.

7. Analysis of wheat lines resistant or sensitive for Fusarium Some essential and toxic elements in wheat as determined by ICP

11. Thank you for your attention