Innovative biocontrol and gene silencing in Trelleborg

– I was invited by Andreas Ekfrost, who is an Environmental Inspector at the Environmental Department at Trelleborg Municipality, to give a talk to local advisors and farmers, says Ramesh.

The session focused on the latest advances in Spray-Induced Gene Silencing (SIGS) technology and biocontrol strategies for managing diseases in cereals and potatoes.

– The discussion sparked great interest in how these sustainable approaches can reduce chemical use while improving crop resilience, says Ramesh.

Ramesh works at the Department of Plant Breeding in Alnarp and spend part of his time as one of the SLU Centre for Biological Control. Ramesh is interested in plant-microbe and microbiome interactions focusing on developing new and sustainable ways to improve plant yield and control diseases. He focuses on microbes and their effectors, including small RNAs that modulate plant traits.

– Ramesh did an impressive impact on the farmers – I glanced at them during his presentation, and they were spellbound, says Andreas Ekfrost.