Delivering defences: using fungi to enhance plant resistance to herbivory

该项目将确定土壤中有益真菌的多样性如何受到农业管理的影响，并将揭示这些真菌如何控制植物保护自己免受昆虫食草动物侵害的能力。通过创新的实地调查和实验，该项目将在土壤生态学和植物防御的关键领域产生新的知识。这将使我们能够利用这些土壤真菌来加强作物保护，同时保护土壤生态系统。以这种方式有效加强植物防御将减少对生态破坏性农药的依赖，促进土壤生物多样性，并确保未来作物生产的可持续性。

This project will identify how the diversity of beneficial fungi in the soil is affected by agricultural management, and will reveal how these fungi govern the ability of plants to defend themselves from insect herbivores. Through innovative field surveys and experimentation, this project will generate new knowledge in the key areas of soil ecology and plant defence. This will allow us to exploit these soil fungi to enhance crop protection while simultaneously conserving soil ecosystems. Effectively boosting plant defence in this way will reduce reliance on ecologically damaging pesticides, promote soil biodiversity, and ensure the sustainability of crop production into the future.