Farmers could soon have the option to apply microbes to crops to reprogramme them to be resistant against pests, diseases and environmental stress factors.
A new research project is now underway to develop this option.
Azotic Technologies has been awarded £500,000 from the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) to develop a low-cost, practical method of reprogramming plants by applying a microbial product to seeds or standing crops.
The project builds on work already undertaken by Azotic Technologies to develop commercial products with this specific mode of action.
The active ingredient in these products, Gluconacetobacterdiazotrophicus (Gd), possesses the unique natural ability to colonise a plant’s cells, fix nitrogen, and promote growth.
Reprogramming plants
Once Gd has entered the plant cell, it can be used to produce and release a variety of bioactive molecules that can effectively ‘re-program’ crops to display additional beneficial traits.
Alternatively, it will tackle threats to yield and quality such as fungal disease or insect pests.
The new project will demonstrate how Gd’s unique ability to live and multiply inside plant cells can be harnessed, modifying the bacterium to produce and deliver bioactive molecules to reprogram plants from the inside out.
These molecules can reduce or replace the need for synthetic pesticides, as well as helping to protect crops against the effects of climate change without genetic modification or gene editing of the plant.
Gene silencing is at the heart of these processes.
According to Azotic Technologies’ Dr Adriana Botes, the concept of gene silencing to program plants is not new. However, in her opinion, there can be limitations.
She explained: “For example, while we can genetically modify plants to silence one of its own genes or that of an insect, pest or pathogen that affects it, we all know that acceptance of genetically modified plants is difficult. But it’s also impractical.
“The Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board’s winter wheat recommended list contains nearly 40 varieties – you can’t engineer every one of those varieties with a specific trait.
“But you could easily produce and apply one microbial product to treat all 40 varieties.”
Gd, explains Dr Botes, allows influence over any plant trait without permanent genetic modification.
Multiple traits can be delivered in parallel with just one application, and the speed at which the bacterium can be constructed and produced makes it possible to combat in-season disease threats.
The Azotic Technologies’ representative said: “Faced with a difficult blight strain, or a new variant strain of yellow rust, such as that confirmed by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany earlier this year, we could design and produce an appropriate product within a few weeks.”
