Crop seed quality refinement with beneficial microbes

由Gerhard Leubner教授领导的伦敦皇家霍洛威大学（RHUL）种子科学与技术小组致力于通过创新的种子精炼技术提高作物种子质量和幼苗性能。我们在种子技术方面拥有长期的经验，包括生物制剂、包衣和颗粒以及有益微生物。我们的团队在整合多学科科学和工程方法以及在应用项目中与种子行业合作方面有着良好的记录。以Leubner教授和该小组的生物材料工程师Tina Steinbrecher博士为代表的广泛专业知识涵盖了从非生物胁迫（热、冷、干旱）和种子-微生物相互作用的分子种子生理学到种子生物力学工程和材料科学。通过精制作物种子将有益微生物应用和输送到农业和园艺的项目需要多学科的方法。没有或有包衣或颗粒的作物种子在干燥状态下储存在公司仓库中，最重要的是防止或延迟种子在储存过程中的老化，因为它会降低种子的活力，最终甚至影响种子的生存能力，从而影响种子的质量。施用种子的有益微生物暴露在相同的储存条件下，必须能够承受并存活长时间的干燥储存。这种生存取决于特定有益微生物的自然状态，以及它在特定作物种子的自然（种皮、胚等）或人工（颗粒团块、膜包衣等）结构内部或附着的微环境。调整种子和微生物应用技术以实现最高的产品弹性和质量需要了解有益相互作用的基础机制。RHUL世界领先的种子科学技术集团和Croda领先的国际领先的种子增强公司Incotec之间的合作将使有益微生物种子应用的创新精炼技术博士项目受益。Leubner教授和Steinbrecher博士的种子生物学课程吸引了优秀的学生注册该教学模块，该教学模块在他们最后一年的秋季学期进行。多学科RHUL-Incotec监督团队提供一流的培训和接触动态的学术和工业环境。这包括一个设备齐全的实验室，一个拥有不同专业知识的小组，在RHUL有组织的研究生教学和培训计划，以及在Incotec工业合作伙伴网站的良好安置机会。Leubner教授和Steinbrecher博士在与粮食安全和农业技术相关的行业合作伙伴一起成功开展博士合作培训方面有着良好的记录。

Royal Holloway University of London's (RHUL) Seed Science and Technology Group lead by Prof Gerhard Leubner is focused on improving crop seed quality and seedling performance by innovative seed refinement technologies. We have longstanding experience in seed technologies including priming with biologicals, coatings and pellets, and beneficial microbes. Our group has a solid track record in integrating multidisciplinary science and engineering approaches, and in collaborating with seed industry in applied projects. The broad expertise for this represented by Prof Leubner and the group's biomaterial engineer Dr Tina Steinbrecher reaches from molecular seed physiology of abiotic stresses (heat, cold, drought) and seed-microbe interaction to seed biomechanical engineering and material science. The project into the application and delivery of beneficial microbes to agriculture and horticulture via the refined crop seeds requires a multidisciplinary approach. Crop seeds, without or with coatings or pellets, are stored in their dry state in a company warehouses and its most important to prevent or delay seed aging during storage as it compromises seed quality by reducing seed vigour and eventually even seed viability. Seed-applied beneficial microbes are exposed to the same storage conditions and must be able to withstand and survive the prolonged dry storage. This survival depends on the natural state of a particular beneficial microbe, as well as its microenvironment inside or attached to the natural (seed coat, embryo, etc.) or artificial (pellet mass, film coating, etc.) structures of a particular crop seed. Adjusting the seed and microbe application technologies to achieve the highest product resilience and quality requires understanding of the underpinning mechanisms of the beneficial interaction. The PhD project into innovative refinement technologies for seed application of beneficial microbes will benefit from the collaboration between RHUL's world-leading Seed Science and Technology Group and Croda's leading internationally leading seed enhancement company Incotec. Prof Leubner's and Dr Steinbrecher's Seed Biology Course attracts excellent students to register for this teaching module which runs in autumn term of their final year. The multidisciplinary RHUL-Incotec supervisory team offers superb training and exposure to a dynamic academic and industrial environment. This includes a well equipped laboratory, a group with diverse expertise, an organised postgraduate teaching and training programme at RHUL and excellent placement possibility at the Incotec industrial partner site. Prof Leubner and Dr Steinbrecher have an established track record in successful collaborative doctoral training together with industry partners relevant to food security and agritechnologies.