Project 1 - Beneficial Microbes
We are interested in probiotic microbes that can assist plants to acquire nutrients, especially organic nitrogen, or reduce the need for fungicides. We currently have two major projects in this area:
1. Discover, test and improve novel endophytes as probiotics
Endophytes are microbes which inhabit plants without causing disease and may benefit their host plants. Our lab conducts research on bacterial endophytes of the genus Zea which includes corn (maize). We also undertake additional endophytic probiotic research in wheat, turfgrass and cucurbit vegetable crops. This research may accelerate the replacement of synthetic fertilizers and fungicides in agriculture with microbes that can be coated onto seeds or sprayed onto plants/soil to provide these same functions.
2. Improve biological nitrogen fixation in legumes
Apart from the use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, natural bacteria that associate with legume plants have the ability to convert nitrogen gas found abundantly in the atmosphere into into ammonia fertilizer, a process called biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). This association allows the grains from these crops to be rich in protein, which in other crops is limited by nitrogen (specifically the amine group in amino acids). Included in this group are soybeans, but also indigenous legumes in the Middle Eaast, Africa and Asia such as lentil, bambara groundnut, cowpea and pigeonpea. Our Lab has developed a new technology for the measurement of biological nitrogen fixation called GlnLux. We are now testing the technology with the goal of helping farmers to maximize nitrogen fixation.
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1. Discover, test and improve novel endophytes as probiotics
Endophytes are microbes which inhabit plants without causing disease and may benefit their host plants. Our lab conducts research on bacterial endophytes of the genus Zea which includes corn (maize). We also undertake additional endophytic probiotic research in wheat, turfgrass and cucurbit vegetable crops. This research may accelerate the replacement of synthetic fertilizers and fungicides in agriculture with microbes that can be coated onto seeds or sprayed onto plants/soil to provide these same functions.
2. Improve biological nitrogen fixation in legumes
Apart from the use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, natural bacteria that associate with legume plants have the ability to convert nitrogen gas found abundantly in the atmosphere into into ammonia fertilizer, a process called biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). This association allows the grains from these crops to be rich in protein, which in other crops is limited by nitrogen (specifically the amine group in amino acids). Included in this group are soybeans, but also indigenous legumes in the Middle Eaast, Africa and Asia such as lentil, bambara groundnut, cowpea and pigeonpea. Our Lab has developed a new technology for the measurement of biological nitrogen fixation called GlnLux. We are now testing the technology with the goal of helping farmers to maximize nitrogen fixation.
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