Food security
Millions of people are undernourished globally and with the population growing, food security is a major concern. Food security is multifaceted, requiring advancements in food safety, ensuring products have a good shelf life, reducing spoilage and providing dietary additions to improve the nutrient intake of the population. The application of microbiology is far reaching, and new approaches are required to maintain food security. Through an improved understanding of plant-microbe interactions, it is possible to forecast and mitigate food shortages.
News
Kibble with microbial proteins appeals to cats and dogs in new study
In a new study, cats and dogs showed a short-term preference for kibble containing some protein derived from microorganisms over kibble containing only standard, animal-derived protein.
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NewsCan this biotech innovation halt the destructive march of a cereal killer?
Researchers explored a recently discovered class of plant defence receptors, showing at molecular level how they function to limit blast pathogen attacks and how they might be bioengineered to introduce broader more durable immunity into wheat, barley, and rice.
NewsScientists demonstrate mushroom fermentation method to enhance protein content and flavour of soybean by-product
The lab-scale study highlights the potential of solid-state fermentation to upcycle perishable okara into a nutritious food ingredient.
NewsYour gut makes a molecule that fights a leading cause of food poisoning
Researchers have discovered that a molecule called indole can inhibit the growth of Campylobacter jejuni, a leading cause of food poisoning worldwide. Their study builds on years of research aimed at understanding how C. jejuni manages to thrive in the gut and cause disease.
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How a pathogen turns flowers into leaves
Scientists have found how a protein produced by bacteria disrupts the mechanism that controls flower development in plants, turning reproductive organs into leaf-like structures. These findings shed light on a plant disease that is expected to spread as climate change expands the range of its insect vectors in northern latitudes.
NewsKey regulator helps seafood-associated bacterium balance iron and oxidative stress
Bacteria need iron, but bioavailable iron is often scarce, and too much can fuel chemical reactions that damage cells. Many Gram-negative bacteria balance iron through ferric uptake regulator (Fur), a metal-responsive protein that controls iron-related genes. Fur’s role in V. parahaemolyticus, however, had not been clearly defined.
NewsBreakthrough optimization of chlamydospore fermentation for Cladophialophora guangxiense HX2
The dark septate endophyte Cladophialophora guangxiense HX2 exhibits excellent control efficacy against tomato bacterial wilt but industrial production of its chlamydospores has been challenging. Researchers have optimized the liquid fermentation process using chlamydospore yield of strain HX2 as the key response indicator.
NewsShapeshifting plant roots rely on a balance of anatomy, metabolism, and microbes to maximize survival
Scientists have identified the mechanisms that allow plants to change their root anatomy to maximise survival when nutrients are scarce. The findings could pave the way for developing new ways to improve beneficial plant-microbe interactions in agriculture.
NewsLong-term biochar use may help conserve nitrogen deep in alkaline paddy soils
Five years of biochar amendment shifted nitrate transformation toward a nitrogen-retaining pathway in deeper soil layers, revealing why soil depth matters when biochar is used to manage nitrogen in rice fields.
NewsLocal microbes persist in wine despite commercial yeast
A new study has demonstrated that regional microbial imprints can remain detectable under commercial winemaking conditions. The new research shows that inoculated fermentations do not “override” native microbial diversity and that vineyard management and environmental conditions matter in wine quality.
NewsPairing biofertilizers with biochar turns farm and city waste into climate-smart soil solutions
A new review makes the case that organic waste from farms, cities and industries could become a resource for healthier soil and more resilient farming — if two waste-derived soil treatments, microbial biofertilizers and biochar, are used together rather than separately.
NewsPlant health: New joint factsheet outlines synergy between Horizon Europe projects FORSAID, CERBERUS and STELLA
One of the biggest threats to Europe’s forests and farms is the spread of biotic stressors, capable of reversing decades of cultivation and conservation. As part of its efforts to address this challenge, the EU has mobilised three sister projects - FORSAID, CERBERUS and STELLA.
NewsBiochar can act as an ‘interface engineer’ to reshape the hidden world around plant roots
A new review shows how biochar simultaneously modifies soil structure, chemistry and microbial communities in the rhizosphere, offering a framework for more precise and sustainable agricultural use.
NewsBlueberry’s waxy shield reveals clues to gray mold resistance
Botrytis cinerea is a broad-host-range necrotrophic fungus that causes gray mold in more than 1,000 plant species. In blueberry, it can damage flowers in the field and later emerge as fruit rot after harvest, reducing shelf life, shipment quality and market value. The disease is especially challenging because latent infections ...
NewsbZIP transcription factor AflHapX coordinates iron homeostasis and aflatoxin biosynthesis in Aspergillus flavus
Researchers have identified the bZIP transcription factor AflHapX in Aspergillus flavus by searching its genome with the HapX protein sequence from Aspergillus fumigatus. They discovered that AflHapX is critical for A. flavus’s adaptive response to both iron excess and iron starvation.
NewsHidden DNA in medieval gospels reveal history of deadly livestock virus
New research shows that some of Europe’s most well-known historic manuscripts, including the York Gospels, have proven to be biological time capsules for uncovering the 3,500-year history of the sheeppox virus (SPPV).
NewsWild tomatillos coat fruits with sticky chemical arsenal, study finds
For decades, research on plant chemical defenses has focused on glandular trichomes—the tiny hair‑like structures on leaves and stems that produce and secrete protective compounds. Acyl sugars, a class of specialized metabolites widespread in the nightshade family (Solanaceae), are known to deter insects and fungal pathogens when produced in leaf ...
NewsBeneficial bacteria support tomato growth & suppress disease
A new study has identified bacterial strains that both treat tomato bacterial canker—some by delaying the onset of infection up to a week—and promote the growth of the plant.
NewsProtecting the peanut: Sensors help fend off fungus
Early detection could be the difference between a healthy peanut crop and a devastating outbreak of Sclerotinia blight — a fungal disease capable of causing significant yield loss.
NewsMould toxins in food are not destroyed during cooking or baking
A survey shows that only a small proportion of the population (29 per cent) is concerned about potential health risks posed by mould, whilst the majority (51 per cent) do not give it any thought at all.
NewsPrimed and ready to fight: a nematode pheromone arms plants to battle pathogens
New research has found that a previously unrecognized natural compound can provide lasting protection against a broad range of plant pathogens.
NewsSurvival of the driest: Directed evolution boosts bacterial tolerance to industrial spray-drying by 1000-fold
Spray-drying is the preferred method for producing dry microbial inoculants for agriculture, offering low cost and easy transport. But many beneficial Gram-negative bacteria struggle to survive the rapid dehydration and heat involved.
NewsA single gene change turns susceptible peas into fusarium wilt fighters
New research identifies a single dominant gene, PsFwC9, which confers Fusarium wilt resistance in pea plants.