Researchers propose transplanting the microbial communities living on plant leaves to protect crops from disease, drawing lessons from medical microbiome therapies. The approach is still early-stage but could reduce reliance on synthetic fungicides and bactericides.
1
Phyllosphere (leaf-surface) microbiome transplantation is proposed as a disease-management strategy analogous to fecal microbiome transplants used in human medicine for conditions like C. difficile infection.
2
Iterative passaging, repeatedly transferring microbiomes through multiple cycles in controlled environments, may gradually enrich beneficial microbial traits before field application.
3
Key barriers to implementation include lack of standardized protocols, risk of transferring pathogens alongside beneficial microbes, and unresolved regulatory frameworks.
mail
Weekly plant science — one email, Saturdays.
Check your inbox to confirm — link expires in 24 hours.
Something went wrong — please try again.
Too many signup attempts from your network. Try again in an hour, or email hello@plant.news.