Self sustainable plants: the contribution ofsoil-borne beneficial microbes

that improve food security (and safety)

Matteo LoritoUniversity of Naples Federico II

Department of Agricultural Scienceslorito@unina.it

“ The chemistry in the plate“

In EU, 250.000 Tons/yearof agrochemicals

Robust legislation onresidues

EFSA tests positive on:tomato, pepper, cucumber,wheat, potato, carrot, pea,

spinach, lettuce,mandarin, orange, apple,

pear, grape

The EU directive 2009/128- promote low pesticide-input pest management, in particularintegrated pest management (IPM)

- priority given wherever possible to non-chemical methods ofplant protection and of pest and crop management

- non-chemical methods’ means alternative methods tochemical pesticides for plant protection and pestmanagement, based on agronomic techniques, or physical,mechanical or biological pest control methods

loss of synthetic chemical crop protection products as a result of the cut-offcriteria defined in Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009.

IPM covers a variety of practices

Agronomic practices

Landscape and fieldmargin management

Prophylaxis

Use of tolerant orresistant varieties

Reduction and safeapplication of pesticides

Use of BCAs and theirproducts

Selection and use of controlmeasures according to

economic thresholds

Crop rotations

Use of preventivemethods

Forecasting models anddecision support tools

Education and training ofpeople involved in cropprotection

New active ingredient (NAI) registrations in the US for conventionalpesticides and biopesticides from 1997 to 2010

the combined impact of NP, SND, and B with the EPA from 1997 to 2010 accounted for69.3% of all NAI registrations

Bio-pesticides and and bio-fertlizers use and/or productionworld wide

hundreds of registered products on the world market

Food security and safety depend onsoil and plant microbiomes & health

ASM study: “How Microbes can Feed the World”being used i.e. by USA governement to define

new agriculture policies

Plant and soil microbiome

New pre-field selection technology ofbeneficials

• Hybrid technology

• Selection driven bymicrobiome analysis

• High throughput screening

• Selection driven bymetabolomics andother ‘omics

• Selection driven bygenome sequencing

Effect of the interaction of a benbeficial soil-bornefungus on the plant PROTEOME

Differential protein spots

CONTROL

HYTRA 1

6PP

HA

Effects on Arabidopsis thaliana (col-0) METABOLOME ofbeneficial fungi and their metabolites

BAM1

BAM2BAM2 BAM2BAM1 BAM2BOT1BAM2BAM3BAM2NemacureBAM2

Control nonematode BAM2

Control +nematode

Control

Learning the biochemical language of the plant

Multiple effects and benefits or root colonizationby soil-borne beneficial fungi

MacrosiphumeuphorbiaeVOCs

VOCs

Aphid parasitoidAphidius ervi

Aphid predatorMacrolophuspygmaeus

Introduction of next generation “elite” strains(natural or hybrid)

• Certified / reliable multi-action• Less susceptible to environment• Fully characterized and genome

sequenced• Trackable activity/presence• Compatible with chemicals and

pollutants• Target new invasive pathogens• Limit cultivar/crop-associated

variability of the effect

New species and strains

• Selected for positiveinteraction with i.e.mycorrhyza and rhizobia

• “Exotic” strains adapted tochanging conditions orspecific application(drought, cold, use in soil-less etc.)

• Undiscovered endophytes(i.e. Sebacinales)

M. Weiß et al., 2011

A plethora of products and applications- oils, both steam and distilled and/or pressed : castor, cedar, cinnamon,

citronella, cloves, corn, cottonseed,garlic, geranium, lemongrass, linseed,mint, peppermint, rosemary, sesame, soybean, thyme etc.

- inorganics: sodium chloride, and zinc metal strips- the pure components: citric acid, eugenol, geraniol, lauryl sulfate, 2-

phenethyl propionate, potassium sorbate- corn gluten meal, dried blood, malic acid, putrescent whole egg solids,

white pepper, propoli- seaweeds- chitosans and other sugars- anti-weed bioproducts- anti-stress for plants (especially abiotic stresses)

CinnamonClove Black pepper

The project in Honduras (funded by UN)

•5 L per hectare of PGPF broth•Directly into the irrigation system•Saved energy and reduced cost•Increased yield of up to 20% x 5 yr•Strong reduction in pesticide/fertilizerapplication

New products for natural microbiome enhancement

F.o. = Fusarium oxysporumS.s. = Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

CONTROL T22 M10 Th1 MIXhigh MIXlow

%di

seas

edpl

ants

Treatments

F.o.

S.s.

0,002,004,006,008,00

10,0012,0014,00

CONTROL T22 M10 Th1 MIXhigh MIXlow

%at

tack

edpl

ants

Insect damage (Tuta absoluta)

0,00

0,50

1,00

1,50

2,00

2,50

3,00

3,50

4,00

CONTROL T22 M10 Th1 MIXhigh MIXlow

Fruits for plant

Antiossidanti (ABTS)

0 0,02 0,04 0,06 0,08 0,1

mmol trolox/100 gr fresco

Beneficial microbiomes increase the nutritionaland nutraceutic value of food

trattatiNon trattati

Beneficial microbes stimulate the uptake inthe plant, and determine a relative increasein the edible part, of minerals required toavoid different malnutrition-derived humanand animal pathologies

Agro-food production needs to increase ofabout 60% in the next 40 years (FAO)

and this have to beachieved in a truly

sustainable way