P-130 - Seeing is Believing: Shedding Light on the Mode of Action of a Biocontrol Agent in Wheat

Wheat is one of the most important crops globally as wheat-derived products serve as a primary source of calories. Maintaining or even increasing wheat yields is essential to ensuring global food security. To protect crops from diseases and minimize yield losses, farmers have traditionally relied on chemical pesticides. However, these pesticides can pose risks to human health, wildlife, and the environment. The dual challenge of sustaining wheat yields while significantly reducing pesticide use underscores the urgent need for innovative, environmentally friendly alternatives. This project, in collaboration with a biological pesticide company, explores microbial-based solutions. Using a high-throughput screening platform, the company has identified promising biocontrol strains against Septoria Leaf Blotch and Fusarium Head Blight. However, insights into the mode-of-action remains unknown thus far. To investigate this, we studied pathogen interactions using confocal imaging and Serial Block Face – Scanning Electron Microscopy (SBF-SEM), revealing that the biocontrol agent (BCA) penetrates the fungal cell wall. Potential genes involved were identified, and CRISPR/Cas9 mutants will be used for validation. Together, these results will give a deeper understanding in the mode-of-action against two of the most important plant pathogens in wheat, which can be implemented in the development of new biological crop protection products.