Bacteria from Hasselt University research show potential for crop protection

We have been collaborating with UHasselt since 2017 to research new types of crop protection. More than one hundred bacteria from UHasselt’s extensive collection have already been tested through research licenses. Now, two of these bacteria are included in a commercial license and, after successful greenhouse trials, will be further tested in field studies for their potential to protect crops. This is an important step towards developing a new biological product that can be used in agriculture.

Teaspoon

“A single teaspoon of soil can contain millions of bacteria, all living together in a complex system with plants,” says Dr. Sofie Thijs. “The challenge is to find those specific bacteria that make plants stronger, known as beneficial endophytes or plant probiotics. These help plants cope better with stress factors such as pollution, diseases, or difficult growing conditions like drought, too much water, heat, cold, or nutrient stress. Our understanding of these underlying mechanisms has been the foundation of our research for years.”

Broad Applicability

The two bacteria included in the commercial license were selected by Globachem for their potential to make plants more resilient against harmful fungi. These bacteria not only strengthen the plant, but also help fight potential plant diseases by directly attacking harmful bacteria or fungi that land on the plants.

One bacterium was isolated from a soil sample in Belgium, the other from Poland, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Białystok. The fact that both bacteria come from different environments and show good results indicates their broad applicability. Further development of these bacteria will require several more years of practical research, including work on composition, application methods, and validation.

“If these results are confirmed, this will lead to new products that contribute to sustainable agriculture and to more resilient crops in changing climate conditions. This collaboration with Hasselt University also highlights our ambition to translate science and innovation into sustainable solutions for growers,” says our colleague, R&D Project Manager, Francis Claes

Science develops into practical application

“With this commercial license, we now see that our fundamental research can also grow into concrete applications with social and economic relevance. It is especially motivating to see that the knowledge we have built up over many years of fundamental research not only leads to scientific publications, but can also develop into practical applications and is picked up by a company that wants to work with it,” says Prof. Dr. Jaco Vangronsveld.

This satisfaction is also shared by the Polish research partner. “The scientific collaboration between UHasselt and the University of Białystok in Poland gave us a better understanding of how plants and microorganisms work together. It is wonderful to see how this knowledge is now being translated by Globachem into possible applications. For me, it is important that scientific research also contributes to solutions that help society move forward,” says Dr. hab. Ewa Olenska, from the University of Białystok.