Microbial promotion of plant health and growth
Microbes produce a variety of bioactive substances, some of which can massively promote the development and in particular the immune system of plants. We investigate bacteria and bacterial agents for their growth-promoting and immunostimulatory activity and analyze the underlying mechanisms of action. In basic research, we are working on analysing the activated signalling pathways and characterizing the triggered effects in detail. In application research, we test and optimize our bacterial candidate isolates and molecules in cooperation with other research institutions and companies on a wide variety of crops such as potatoes, tomatoes and cereals.
Plant growth promoting microorganisms and nature-derived compounds
Plants and a plethora of divers microorganisms are closely associated and build a network of complex relations. We know that plants profit from certain bacteria and fungi as they can e.g. strengthen the plant against biotic and abiotic stress, provide nutrients or make these available, promote plant development, and directly antagonize pathogens and pests. Besides this, also plants evolved compounds for communication and coping with environmental factors. In order to utilize and understand these interactions, we isolate, identify and characterize microbes as well as natural secondary metabolites with plant beneficial traits. We particularly focus on those that promote plant development, trigger plant responses against or directly antagonize plant pathogens and pests. We study also certain microbes and compounds that are harmful for plants and thus exhibit herbicidal activity. We investigate this feature in order to identify nature-derived means for selective and non-selective weed control in agricultural crop production.
Biosurfactants – natural molecules with great potential
One group of nature-derived compounds are biosurfactants (surface active agents of natural origin). These secondary metabolites are produced by certain bacteria and fungi and e.g. play a role in motility, biofilm formation, uptake of hydrophobic substances, virulence, and exhibit antimicrobial properties. As amphiphilic molecules with surfactant properties they have a great range of potential industrial applications including cosmetics, bioremediation, and cleansers. We investigate the potential of biosurfactants and particularly of rhamnolipids for agricultural applications and aim to understand the mode of action on molecular level.
RNAi against plant-parasitic nematodes
Crop protection via RNA interference (RNAi) is conventionally accomplished by transgenic plants. As many concerns have been raised against genetically modified organisms, their use in agriculture is a constant matter of debate. Recently, it was shown that exogenously applied double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and small interfering RNA (siRNA) triggers RNAi in plants and other organisms and thus influences the transcript level of the target gene. As this represents a promising, non-chemical, and non-transgenic way for plant protection, we explore the suitability of this approach to control plant-parasitic nematodes.