Microbiome engineering platform for soil-borne disease control and crop resilience
A biological crop protection solution using novel plant growth regulators derived from soil microbes to selectively suppress pathogens like Fusarium and Phytophthora while promoting beneficial plant-microbe interactions. Enables disease resistance without soil fumigation or resistant cultivars, with scalable production via automated bioreactors.
Overview
This microbiome engineering platform addresses one of agriculture's most persistent challenges: soil-borne crop diseases caused by pathogens such as Fusarium and Phytophthora. Traditional control methods rely on soil fumigation or resistant cultivars, both of which have significant limitations in cost, sustainability, and effectiveness.
The approach leverages naturally occurring bioactive compounds produced by soil microbes that act as plant growth regulators. These compounds enable plants to distinguish between harmful pathogens and beneficial microbes, triggering natural defense responses against pathogens while enhancing growth-promoting interactions with helpful microbes. Simple application of these compounds to soil has demonstrated both disease resistance and improved plant growth across horticultural and cereal crops.
Technical specifications
Core technology:
- Bioactive plant growth regulators isolated from soil microbes that selectively tag pathogens to enable plant immune recognition
- Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) compatible with the regulatory compounds to enhance plant-microbe symbiosis
- Automated bioreactor systems for large-scale mass production of the responsible microbes and their bioactive compounds
- Microencapsulation delivery system under development for controlled, field-ready application
Key benefits:
- Durable resistance against hard-to-control soil-borne pathogens without chemical fumigation
- Dual action: pathogen suppression combined with plant growth promotion
- Applicable across multiple crop types including horticultural and cereal crops
- Scalable production through existing automated bioreactor infrastructure
Technology readiness level
The technology has achieved proof-of-concept validation in controlled settings, demonstrating durable resistance against Fusarium and Phytophthora in several horticultural and cereal crops. Microbial production capabilities are established through automated bioreactor systems.
Next-stage validation will focus on farm-scale testing across diverse crops and soil types affected by hard-to-control pests and pathogens. This will confirm crop quality safety, validate the biological approach at commercial scale, and refine the proprietary microencapsulation delivery system for practical field deployment.
About The University of Queensland
The University of Queensland is a large, multi-campus public research university in Brisbane with a comprehensive academic and research profile. Industry partners engage through hospital-embedded laboratories and clinical sites, pilot testbeds, and field campuses across Queensland that enable prototyping, trials, and validation in real-world settings. Co-location with major health precincts and proximity to Brisbane’s innovation districts make collaboration and talent access straightforward, while on-campus incubation and professional education support workforce upskilling. Research is supported by competitive national funding from the Australian Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council, alongside state and industry investment. A dedicated technology transfer office and commercialization company manage IP, licensing, sponsored research agreements, and spin-out formation.
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