H2020Индивидуална стипендия2021–2024

SMART-AGRI-SPORE · Fighting the X. fastidiosa threat to EU agriculture - Novel smart biopesticides based on bacterial spores

„Хоризонт 2020“ — Действия „Мария Склодовска-Кюри“

Период: 2021-09-01 → 2024-08-31
Финансиране от ЕС: 259 399 €
Участници: 1
Схема: MSCA-IF

Линиите свързват координатора с партньорите.

Накратко на български

Биологични пестициди на базата на бактериални спори се тестват за борба с бактерията Xylella fastidiosa, която заразява маслиновите гори. Това е важно, за да се намали зависимостта от химикалите и да се защити земеделието в Средиземноморието.

Този кратък обзор е генериран от изкуствен интелект

Кратко обяснение, генерирано от езиков модел по текста на CORDIS. Оригиналът е по-долу.

Резултати накратко

Fighting the X. fastidiosa threat to EU agriculture - Novel smart biopesticides based on bacterial spores

The Mediterranean region represents one of the world’s most important agricultural production zones and is therefore inherently susceptible to emerging plant diseases and dependent on the availability of appropriate pesticides. In particular, olive agriculture presents an integral economic pillar, with 95% of the world’s olive tree population concentrated in this area. However, orchards are exposed to an unparalleled threat, caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, which is considered one of the most dangerous plant pests worldwide. Notwithstanding, currently no treatment of diseased trees under field conditions is available. At the same time, the European Union (EU) has committed to a sustainable food strategy through ambitious legislative proposals, such as the European Commissions’ Green Deal and the EU Farm to Fork strategy, which have a clear focus on reducing the dependency on pesticides and fostering the use of non-chemical alternatives. Nonetheless, plant diseases are omnipresent and plant protection products are indispensable to safeguard crops. Hence, these legislative requirements will have a considerable impact on both EU and international farming. Given that at this point, the availability and efficiency of non-chemical plant protection products are still limited, viable and effective alternatives are urgently needed. Thus, the aim of this project was to develop a novel biological plant protection system (SMART-AGRI-SPORE) targeting X. fastidiosa infections in olive groves. It combined for the first time the use of bacterial spores with the controlled release of antimicrobial peptides in an agricultural application to provide a sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides. The work could show that several indigenous spore-formers of Spanish olive groves inherently possess antagonistic activity against X. fastidiosa. These bacteria were derived from the soil, as well as from the leaf interior (endophytic).

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз

Цел на проекта

EU agriculture is facing an unparalleled threat by the pest Xylella fastidiosa, potentially causing an annual production loss of ‎5.5 billion euros and putting at risk 300.000 jobs if its expansion cannot be contained. Hence, the eradication of this bacterium remains a key priority of the EU. Yet, no field treatment is currently available, highlighting the dire need for effective pesticides against this menace. At the same time the European Commission’s ambitious Green Deal and its Farm to Fork strategy set the reduction by 50% of the use of chemical pesticides by 2030 as a key priority. However, today, the availability of biological alternatives is limited and novel solutions targeting the most detrimental pests are urgently needed. In light of these challenges, we propose the development of a novel, smart biopesticide based on bacterial spores (SMART-AGRI-SPORE), specifically targeting X. fastidiosa in infected trees and insect vectors. Although the use of spores in medical applications is well established, here we extend the concept for the first time to an agricultural use by engineering spores as a biopesticide delivery vehicle. To do so, Bacillus candidates will be isolated from orchards and vectors, while an activity screen will identify novel antimicrobial peptides efficiently targeting X. fastidiosa. Spores will be engineered to express and store these active agents in the core or coat, shielding them from physicochemical and biological degradation through the protective spore structure. Using an innovative design approach, the heterologous protein will be released into the environment during induced autolytic germination. This study will provide novel insights into the treatment of X. fastidiosa under field conditions, while also extending our repertoire of alternative biopesticides for use in EU agriculture. In a wider context the project seeks to contribute to transforming EU agriculture into a modern, resource-efficient and resilient sector.

Оригинален текст от CORDIS (на английски).

Участници

UNIVERSIDAD DE JAEN · JAENКоординаторИспания