Protective holobiome promotes strawberry tolerance of biotic stresses.
Son JS, Lee SY, Sang MK, Spinelli F, Ryu CM
Soil Health
Strawberries you buy at the store — or grow in your garden — may soon be protected by beneficial microbes instead of chemical sprays, making them safer to eat and better for the soil around them.
Every strawberry plant is home to a vast community of tiny microbes — bacteria and fungi — living in its roots, leaves, and even on the fruit itself. Researchers have found that these microbes can act like a natural immune system, helping the plant fight off diseases and pests without chemicals. Scientists are now working on ways to design and add the best combinations of these helpful microbes to strawberry crops, and even using AI to figure out which microbial 'teams' work best.
Key Findings
Strawberry plants host cultivar-specific microbial communities across the rhizosphere, phyllosphere, endosphere, and fruit surface that collectively influence plant health and fruit quality.
Microbial consortia can suppress plant disease and enhance stress tolerance through a mechanism called induced systemic resistance, offering a biological alternative to broad-spectrum pesticides.
The development of synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) is an emerging strategy for microbiome-based crop protection, with AI-driven design and multi-omics approaches identified as key future directions.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists are exploring how the community of microbes living on and around strawberry plants can naturally protect the plants from diseases and pests, potentially reducing the need for harmful chemical pesticides.
Abstract Preview
The commercial cultivation of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is increasingly challenged by biotic stresses such as plant pathogens and insect pests, while climate change exacerbates abiotic stres...
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The garden strawberry is a widely grown hybrid plant cultivated worldwide for its fruit. The genus Fragaria, the strawberries, is in the rose family, Rosaceae. The fruit is appreciated for its aroma, bright red colour, juicy texture, and sweetness. It is eaten either fresh or in prepared foods su...