Professorship for Plant Microbiomics

The research focus of this professorship is to elucidate the intricate relationships among soil, plants, and microbes within vineyard and horticultural agroecosystems. Given the pivotal role that microbes play in plant growth and fitness, the overarching objective is to comprehend how to harness the microbial communities intimately associated with plants. This pursuit offers invaluable insights into enhancing agricultural productivity and bolstering crop resilience in the face of climatic stressors through more sustainable approaches.

This entails the establishment of experiments under controlled laboratory conditions and in field settings to examine the contributions of beneficial microbes in vineyard and horticultural systems. The primary aim is to enhance crop nutrition and resistance against pathogens, particularly in the context of global environmental changes.

Furthermore, a novel line of research will be initiated, emphasizing the dynamics of horticultural seed microbiomes. Seed-associated microbes, often referred to as the 'seed microbiome,' are poised to assume a crucial role in plant fitness. They hold the potential to confer resilience against environmental stressors by augmenting plant nutrient uptake and enhancing plant responses, thereby fortifying resistance to pathogen. Therefore, harnessing the seed microbiota represents a promising and novel field of research for sustainably improving horticultural production.