Forest defenders found in soil

Knowledge of how soil bacteria and fungi promote the growth and development of plants can be used to improve the health of forest and agro-ecosystems.

To this effect, the EU-funded 'Biocontrol and bioremediation agents and their role in agriculture and forest health' (BIOREGENT) project established a network of scientists to find and study potential microbial bioremediation and biocontrol agents. Forest ecosystems, native forests and plantations, and Euro–Siberian and Mediterranean zones were represented in this study.

Researchers identified various useful species, including bacteria that could potentially stimulate the growth of chickpea plants under stressful conditions. They also found strains that could be used as biological control agents to boost the health of plant and tree ecosystems.

In the process, the project team advanced new protocols to identify beneficial and pathogenic bacteria, and to measure biocontrol and growth-enhancing activities. A stable collaboration between Canada and the EU to develop plant growth-promoting bacteria for chemical-free cultivation and environmental clean-up has now been established.

BIOREGENT increased our understanding of how soil microbes boost plant growth and protect plants against pathogens and contaminants. This new information will be used to reduce the effects of soil pollution and dependence on pesticides and fertilisers.