Periodic Reporting for period 2 - BestPass (Boosting plant-Endophyte STability, compatibility and Performance Across ScaleS)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2017-09-01 do 2019-11-30
Agricultural production systems worldwide are facing many challenges and must adopt more dynamic, efficient and sustainable production methods for increasing food and fodder production to feed a growing population with fewer resources (FAO). Firstly, the world population is predicted to reach roughly 10 billion by 2050 (http://esa. un.org/wpp/). Secondly, urbanisation reduces available agricultural land, both by encroachment and by increasing pollution and water demand in adjacent areas. Thirdly, economic growth and social development are increasing demand for meat-based diets and fodder, rather than food crops, whilst simultaneously increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
Climate change is a challenge also for sustainable plant disease control. In particular, emerging pathogens (and pests) find favourable conditions in new regions. Meanwhile, the increased unpredictability of the weather is leading to an increase in, and unpredictability of, abiotic stresses, such as drought, heat and cold, thereby altering risk patterns for specific diseases. This leads to the need to understand the subtle interactions between these abiotic stress factors, the hormones regulating the ability of the plant to adapt to abiotic stress, and microorganisms exhibiting different lifestyles. These range from mutualistic mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobia over beneficial endophytes to harmful pathogens. There are also examples where the same microbe can act as a benign of beneficial endophyte under some conditions and as a disease-inducing pathogen under others. While plant diseases can devastate crops, they can often be controlled by cultural practice, disease resistance, biological control and the use of pesticides. BestPass was a major initiative aimed to deliver new insights into the nature of the relationships between plants and associated microorganisms – both beneficial and pathogenic, and by both biological control and stimulation of host growth.
The world needs to increase crop yield while reducing pesticides and the use of inorganic fertilisers- in order to meet the challenges of population growth and climate change. Plant endophytic microorganisms can improve plant yield and enhance plant tolerance to abiotic stress as well as to pathogens under experimental conditions, but these effects are often not sufficiently stable for practical application. The knowledge obtained from studying the impact of endophytes on plant health is expected to benefit the sustainable development of agriculture over the coming decades. Examples of new knowledge gained through the project used model organisms such as Serendipita (syn. Piriformospora) indica, arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungi and novel bacterial and fungal endophytes, as well as three way interactions involving beneficial fungi, bacteria and host plants. The availability of genome sequences of the interacting partners is an important prerequisite for gaining knowledge about these three way interactions and their use in sustainable plant production systems and meeting the challenges of climate change and modern societies.
Climate change is a challenge also for sustainable plant disease control. In particular, emerging pathogens (and pests) find favourable conditions in new regions. Meanwhile, the increased unpredictability of the weather is leading to an increase in, and unpredictability of, abiotic stresses, such as drought, heat and cold, thereby altering risk patterns for specific diseases. This leads to the need to understand the subtle interactions between these abiotic stress factors, the hormones regulating the ability of the plant to adapt to abiotic stress, and microorganisms exhibiting different lifestyles. These range from mutualistic mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobia over beneficial endophytes to harmful pathogens. There are also examples where the same microbe can act as a benign of beneficial endophyte under some conditions and as a disease-inducing pathogen under others. While plant diseases can devastate crops, they can often be controlled by cultural practice, disease resistance, biological control and the use of pesticides. BestPass was a major initiative aimed to deliver new insights into the nature of the relationships between plants and associated microorganisms – both beneficial and pathogenic, and by both biological control and stimulation of host growth.
The world needs to increase crop yield while reducing pesticides and the use of inorganic fertilisers- in order to meet the challenges of population growth and climate change. Plant endophytic microorganisms can improve plant yield and enhance plant tolerance to abiotic stress as well as to pathogens under experimental conditions, but these effects are often not sufficiently stable for practical application. The knowledge obtained from studying the impact of endophytes on plant health is expected to benefit the sustainable development of agriculture over the coming decades. Examples of new knowledge gained through the project used model organisms such as Serendipita (syn. Piriformospora) indica, arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungi and novel bacterial and fungal endophytes, as well as three way interactions involving beneficial fungi, bacteria and host plants. The availability of genome sequences of the interacting partners is an important prerequisite for gaining knowledge about these three way interactions and their use in sustainable plant production systems and meeting the challenges of climate change and modern societies.
The BestPass project has made stable progress in its activities with contributions from the entire consortium throughout the project period. In total, six project meetings were held since the launch of the project, and since the recruitment of the Early Stage Researchers (ESR), everyone has contributed to the successful progress and finalization of the project. Training workshops for the ESRs were held in conjunction with all the annual meetings. All deliverables and milestones have been submitted, and at the time of the final reporting, one third of the ESRs of BestPass have received their PhD diploma. In addition to the 12 beneficiaries, 8 Partner Organisations and 6 mentors have contributed to the quality of the career development opportunities for the ESRs both in academic and non-academic sectors.
The main results achieved in the project includes: 1. Phytohormone impact on fungal endophyte communities in tomato roots, 2. Changes in plant hormone levels upon colonization of tomato by endophytic and/or pathogenic strains of fungi, 3. Identification of P-solubilising bacteria and interaction with an AM fungus, 4. Characterization of grass populations with improved endophyte compatibility, and 5. Detection and characterization of genotypic variation in Epichloë spp. using microsatellite markers. Furthermore, Furtado et al. and Pereira et al. investigated the microbiomes associated with salt stress in two plant species (Festuca and Salicornia, respectively) and found substantial differences in the fungal endobiomes in terms of the taxa associated with salt tolerance. These studies open the perspective for being able to restitute salt-damaged soils, a serious problem in many areas where irrigation is used. Approximately half of the papers expected from the project have been published (23 publications), therefore more publishable and disseminated results are expected. Furthermore, one patent has been filed as an output from BestPass, as a joint invention between the Universities of Copenhagen and Michigan State. It concerns the identification of a fungal gene encoding a terpene synthetase enzyme responsible for the production of viridiforol, a sesquiterpene alcohol of commercial value for the perfume industry.
The main results achieved in the project includes: 1. Phytohormone impact on fungal endophyte communities in tomato roots, 2. Changes in plant hormone levels upon colonization of tomato by endophytic and/or pathogenic strains of fungi, 3. Identification of P-solubilising bacteria and interaction with an AM fungus, 4. Characterization of grass populations with improved endophyte compatibility, and 5. Detection and characterization of genotypic variation in Epichloë spp. using microsatellite markers. Furthermore, Furtado et al. and Pereira et al. investigated the microbiomes associated with salt stress in two plant species (Festuca and Salicornia, respectively) and found substantial differences in the fungal endobiomes in terms of the taxa associated with salt tolerance. These studies open the perspective for being able to restitute salt-damaged soils, a serious problem in many areas where irrigation is used. Approximately half of the papers expected from the project have been published (23 publications), therefore more publishable and disseminated results are expected. Furthermore, one patent has been filed as an output from BestPass, as a joint invention between the Universities of Copenhagen and Michigan State. It concerns the identification of a fungal gene encoding a terpene synthetase enzyme responsible for the production of viridiforol, a sesquiterpene alcohol of commercial value for the perfume industry.
The project has provided excellent training for the ESRs in the areas of genomics, bioinformatics, plant physiology, industrial production of microbial inoculants/products and endophyte performance. ESRs have gained international experience by visiting different institutions, and these secondments will continue benefit the ESRs future career possibilities. The Action has already had great success in stimulating in-depth science that will pave not only the future careers of the ESRs, but also, the way to new discoveries that can be utilized by industrial parties as well as being embedded in other institutions for future research. Thus, the project will provide the opportunity to develop new collaborations between universities and industries on plant-endophyte interactions.
Little was known in advance of the study about the microbes or molecules involved in the biological interactions under study. Overall, the first phase of the BestPass project concerned collecting material that has since been exploited during the remainder of the project. The project has now yielded new knowledge, which is exploitable and/or publishable, and has provided materials and techniques for improving crop plant productivity. BestPass has also created an ideal environment for establishing new contacts, which will lead to spin-off collaborations. Such collaborations will further develop the European Research Area by integrating research activities of institutions among partner countries. Moreover, BestPass has trained a new generation of scientists with deep knowledge in basic research who possess the awareness of the challenge to bring this knowledge into practice. Of course challenges remain for modern plant production systems despite BestPass, but the ESRs of BestPass have excellent qualifications to meet these future challenges.
Little was known in advance of the study about the microbes or molecules involved in the biological interactions under study. Overall, the first phase of the BestPass project concerned collecting material that has since been exploited during the remainder of the project. The project has now yielded new knowledge, which is exploitable and/or publishable, and has provided materials and techniques for improving crop plant productivity. BestPass has also created an ideal environment for establishing new contacts, which will lead to spin-off collaborations. Such collaborations will further develop the European Research Area by integrating research activities of institutions among partner countries. Moreover, BestPass has trained a new generation of scientists with deep knowledge in basic research who possess the awareness of the challenge to bring this knowledge into practice. Of course challenges remain for modern plant production systems despite BestPass, but the ESRs of BestPass have excellent qualifications to meet these future challenges.