Bodyguards for Precious Seeds

    GRAZ, AUSTRIA, May 19, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The fungi (Rhizoctonia solani) is stealthy blight, becoming visible only shortly before the harvest infesting beets or corn at their roots. The fungal rot begins early in the season, working its way from the inside out, and only becoming visible in the fall, destroying the possibility of a harvest. Year after year crop failures due to attacks by pests and pathogens are reported in the media despite their being treated with pesticides. Crop failure is further exacerbated by pesticide treatments which cause the death of insects such as bees through neonicotinoids. "There are also more extreme environmental conditions such as periods of hot weather, drought or flood disasters, to be taken into account when considering the extent of damage caused by pesticide use alone," states ACIB researcher Christin Zachow.

The Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology (ACIB) is perfecting protective methods which will make the use of "chemical mace" measures obsolete. One such research project currently underway involves biological plant protection, in which microorganisms (bacteria) work as bodyguards for the safeguarding of seeds like corn, canola, tomato, sorghum, or sugar beet. The underlying principle is that special bacteria are planted in combination with the plant seeds in fields. Together with Graz University of Technology and five industry partners, ACIB engages the growth promoting properties of microorganisms: while the seed germinates, the microorganisms are simultaneously developing and supplying the plant with nutrients, promoting growth, warding off pests, reducing the stress on the crop and increasing their resilience.

Stressed crops
"Crops are challenged by climate change, drought, and high salted floors. These nutrient deficiencies occur as a result of monoculture practices," states Christin Zachow. Since 2011, Christin Zachow has been managing project research and delivery in collaboration with Prof. Gabriele Berg - a pioneer in this research field - from the Institute for Environmental Biotechnology at Graz University of Technology. Their primary task has been to find bacteria that are adapted to extreme environmental conditions. Every plant needs specific bacteria, and every soil type harbors specific bacteria. For example, researchers who work in the areas of moss and lichen research have found that the former tolerate acidic pH values and nutrient deficiencies, while the latter accept UV-light and drought.

Bacteria that promote growth are identified, characterized and tested for their resistance to stress. "We want to know which genes are activated by which particular environmental conditions in order to ensure that the bacteria will be ideally matched with crops under the local conditions," states Zachow. When a promising population of bacteria is found, it is deliberately improved by researchers so that the "microbiome" will have an optimal outcome under their given environmental conditions. Success has been recorded with the bacterial species Pseudomonas poae and Stenotrophomonas rhizophila. While Stenotrophomonas caused an enormous burst of growth of crops in the salty steppe of Uzbekistan (300 % more than without microbiome treatment), Pseudomonas made a similarly positive impact in the sugar beet test field from ACIB's industry partner in Germany. Five international, industrial enterprises are currently involved in the research project.

Healthy diet
After finalizing the preliminary investigations, target bacteria have come into interaction with their prospective host plants. Zachow: "Plants are searching for exactly those types of bacteria that they need for perfect growth." The bacteria-host-interaction is similar to that which occurs in the human intestine, in which a specific microflora is beneficial to human health. The culmination of the research and development of a commercial product has led to a bacterial-seed-combination. In moist soil types, the bacteria grow along with the germinating seed and at the same time protect it.

Our goal: "We strive to develop plants with optimal health to provide consumers with an optimal basis for a healthy diet," says the scientist, "a functioning biological plant protection system offers a viable alternative to pesticides." Biological plant protection is undeniably a significant step towards ensuring a biologically sound agricultural industry producing healthier food.

Ultimately, the ACIB method is in competition with conventional systems of pesticide driven "plant protection". The chemical industry turns over about 40 billion euros a year in chemical plant protection products worldwide, and a third of these chemicals ends up on the fields in the EU alone. There is a lot of money to be made using biological plant protection when more and more customers call for healthier food.
www.acib.at

The Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology (acib) is an international Research Centre for Industrial Biotechnology with locations in Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck, Tulln (A), Hamburg, Bielefeld (D), Pavia (I) and Barcelona (E). Using the concepts of nature, acib-scientists replace traditional industrial methods with new, more economic and ecological technologies. Actually, acib is an international network of 130+ international universities and industry partners, including 3M, BASF, DSM, Sandoz, Boehringer Ingelheim, Jungbunzlauer, KWS Saat, voestalpine, 3M or Clariant. Owners are the Universities of Innsbruck and Graz, Graz University of Technology, the University of Natural Resources, Vienna and Joanneum Research.

At acib 200+ scientific employees with up to 30+ years of experience in industrial biotechnology work in more than 70 research projects. Public funding (50% of the budget) comes from the Research Promotion Agency of the Republic of Austria (FFG), the country Tyrol, the Styrian Business Promotion Agency (SFG) and the Technology Agency of the City of Vienna (ZIT). The EU funds additional projects such as CHEM21.

The competence center acib is sponsored within COMET (Austrian Competence Centres for Excellent Technologies) by the BMVIT, BMWFW and the provinces of Styria, Tyrol, Lower Austria and Vienna. The COMET program is handled by the FFG.
www.acib.at

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