Fungi can be single-celled or heterogeneous organisms found in almost any habitat. But fungi are usually found in the soil, especially in soil or plant material, depending on Society of Microbiology.
But recently, researchers from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark showed that there are unique fungi that strengthen the immune system of wheat and bean plants to look after aphids. News 18 reported that the fungi enter the plant and affect the plant’s defenses against pests, thus producing less tp of aphids.
The results could help reduce the use of agricultural insecticides which will be one step further on the path to a green shift of crop production. They published their study in the journal New Phytologist.
(Image: Pixabay)
Unique fungi help plants fight aphids with strengthened immunity
Fungi may strengthen the immune system to cut down aphids
Science Daily said the researchers studied three types of fungi and found that two of them were able to reduce aphids pests on wheat and bean plants by establishing themselves on plant roots and stems.
They noticed that the fungi strengthen the immune system of plants by increasing their natural defenses, which leads to fewer aphids, said Nicolai Vitt Meyling.
“When aphids suck plant sap, plants lose energy, damaging their root networks and complete growth. However, when aphids attacked plants with fungi, they were able to compensate by increase root growth, so that they do not do so. ‘
The researchers found fungal spores in wheat seeds and bean plants, which were then grown and cultivated. They then introduced a few aphids to see if the pests could develop on the plants for more than two weeks inside a greenhouse. The researchers from the Department of Agroecology at Aarhus University then analyzed the leaves of the plants.
According to them, they saw that the protection of the plants was increased while the fungi reduced the aphids. These plants had more aphids that were not treated with fungi because they had fewer protective substances.
CENTRAL ALL: Penn state scientists created a fungal biopesticide to counteract insects in bed bugs
Reducing the use of insecticides
In addition to the aphids, the researchers also noticed that the fungi are attacking the insects on the roots of the plants. Combining the fungus-treated plant with environmentally friendly cultivation methods could help in the green move to reduce insecticide use, EurekAlert! recitation.
Meyling concluded that the fungi have the ability to reduce the need for insecticides as treated seeds lead to fewer aphids. The plan is to produce the treated seeds on a large scale with Danish seed producers to coat the seeds with fungi before sowing them. That way, insecticides are rarely used to keep pests away.
Restricting the use of insecticides is an essential part of the green movement, and plants with fungi are one way. The next step they need to do is to conduct long-term field experiments to experience the longevity effects of the fungi under reasonable growth conditions.
RELATED SUBJECTS: Insects & related fungi are the best way to control wording: full details here
Check out more Insecticide news and information on Science Times.