Breeding cereals to promote beneficial microbial associations (MALONE_J17ICASE1)

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As pressure increases to reduce agricultural inputs, more efficient nutrient use has become an important breeding objective. Many plants including cereals such as barley form beneficial associations with soil microbes, which contribute to nutrient assimilation and protect against pathogen attack. Understanding the plant and microbial genetic traits that contribute to efficient colonisation thus has huge potential for the production of improved, low-input cereals and novel crop treatments. This studentship will investigate how strains of the beneficial soil bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens colonise barley roots, and how this affects disease resistance and plant growth. Near-infrared and micromalting analysis will be performed with our industrial CASE partner; New Heritage Barley, to examine the effect of microbial colonisation on grain quality and flavour. The ultimate aim of this research will be to select and breed barley varieties that encourage beneficial microbial associations.