Alejandro Pérez-de-Luque
University of Sheffield, United kingdom
Title: Belowground interactions between mycorrhiza and rhizobacteria prime above ground wheat defence
Biography
Biography: Alejandro Pérez-de-Luque
Abstract
Plant breeding for resistance genes and chemical treatments are currently the main strategies to control plant diseases. However, withdrawal of agrochemicals under new EU legislation and co--â€evolution of diseases to overcome crop resistance genes have increased the need to find alternative means to improve crop disease management. Disease suppression by root colonizing non--â€pathogenic microorganisms has been Recognized as a promising long--â€term strategy. Beneficial rhizosphere--â€colonizing microorganisms, such as arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) and plant growth--â€promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), can prime the plant immune system against pathogen attack (Cameron et al., 2013). However, the complexity of the plant root microbiome has hampered wide--â€ranging exploitation of these biocontrol organisms in current crop protection schemes. In this work, we have evaluated the interaction between two beneficial microorganisms, a mycorrhizal fungus (Glomus intraradices) and a plant growth promoting rhizobacterial strain (Pseudomonas putida) and investigated the mechanisms by which these microbes synergistically prime wheat (Triticum aestivum) for enhanced defensive responses.