CBC awards research grants for projects on biological control

In total, CBC received 13 grant applications for funding pilot projects or compilations of knowledge. Of these, CBC decided to support two pilot projects, and one compilation of knowledge on projects led by Adriana Puentes (Department of Ecology), Åsa Lankinen (Department of Plant Protection Biology) and Dan Funck Jensen (Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology).

A future perspective on plant-herbivore-enemy interactions

To determine how and why insects become pests requires a detailed understanding of interactions between plants, herbivores and their natural enemies - so called tri-trophic interactions. Knowledge on tri-trophic interactions also serves as the foundation for designing and implementing biological control strategies against these damaging pests. New technologies are advancing our ecological understanding of these interactions at a rapid pace and the future of biocontrol is already taking shape.

Together with 11 other scientists, Adriana Puentes from the Department of Ecology receives 148 000 SEK to conduct a literature review to conceptually summarize factors influencing plant-herbivore-predator interactions from genes level to ecosystem level. In addition, the researchers will identify key priorities for future research and how different applied research fields can take advantage of this ecological-based knowledge on tri-trophic interactions to improve their understanding, and implement better and more sustainable practices.

Combinatory integrated pest management in Swedish potato production

Potato is a crop with many serious diseases that require extensive and repeated treatments with pesticides in Swedish potato production. To be able to reduce the dependence of chemical treatment, development of alternative tools for plant disease control is necessary. Such tools include mechanical treatment, treatment with other organisms (biocontrol agents) or treatment with compounds that induce plant resistance to disease. However, field efficacies of these alternative tools are often not sufficient.

Åsa Lankinen from the Department of Plant Protection Biology will receive 150 000 SEK to lead a pilot project that aims to investigate the combinatory effect of biocontrol and induced resistance agents, and if these combinations can help improving the success and reliability of alternative pest management in potato. The researchers will focus on the two diseases late and early blight. They will use experiments under controlled conditions in the greenhouse and test combinations of two biocontrol microorganisms, one bacterial agent (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens) and one oomycete (Pythium oligandrum), and one inducing agent. The generated data will provide a strong foundation for subsequent testing of the best combination of products in the field and will be a first important step towards their integration into disease control strategies in field crops.

Biological control of seed-borne diseases of rice and vegetables

Professor Dan Funck Jensen at the Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology will be given 75 000 SEK to lead a pilot project that will be done in collaboration with Can Tho University in Vietnam. In the project, a research collaboration will be established between SLU and Can Tho University around biological control of of seed-borne diseases in vegetables and rice, especially in the Mekong delta. The project aims to reduce pesticide use and form the basis for future research collaboration in this area of research.

The project will focus on seed treatment with bacteria and/or fungal biocontrol agents, either with one strain or combinations of two biocontrol organisms. Two vegetable species relevant for both Sweden and Vietnam as well as one rice variety - all known to have problems with seed borne pathogens - will be chosen as models for biocontrol experiments. Different technologies for seed treatments with biocontrol agents will be evaluated for their applicability for use with the selected plant seeds. A protocol for treating the seeds and carry out the field experiments under field conditions in Vietnam will be developed based on results from a 3-week study stay of two Vietnamese students at SLU in June 2017. After that, field experiments for testing biocontrol under conditions in Vietnam will be carried out July - November 2017.