Symbioses and biostimulants

During this module, the differences and similarities between beneficial and pathogenic interactions are explored. An important part of the course is devoted to understanding the mechanisms involved in beneficial interactions (mycorrhizae, symbiotic bacteria, PGPR,...) and their potential for improving agricultural practices.   Another important part of the course concerns the regulations around the approval and also the experiments around biostimulants and biocontrol products.

Examples of external speakers:

• Karine GROSBEAU (Green Elephant): Regulations around biostimulants / biocontrol products

Two visits

• Green Elephant Visit: Bacterial Inoculum Production
• Staphyt visit: bio-control product trial, GEP, GLP and BEC

A practical work in which students have 3 sessions to conduct an experiment to test the effect of a PGPR on wheat growth under many conditions. Students must phenotype plants, make biochemical assays (sugar, nitrogen, chlorophyll,...) and measure enzymatic activities (catalase, nitrate reductase,...)

Knowledge

• Have a basic knowledge of beneficial microorganisms so as to be able to carry out Biostimulation / Biocontrol experiments.
• Know the rules for experimentation on biocontrol products (stimulation)
• Knowledge of biocontrol product registration rules (stimulation)

Know-how

• Have experimented with a biostimulant
• Phenotyping experience
• Know how to perform a biochemical assay and measure enzymatic activity.
• Set up a protocol based on material and methods from a scientific publication

Hourly volumes* :

            CM: 15

            TD : 15

            Land : 6

• basic microbiology,
• bases on plant/microorganism interactions

Recommended prerequisites* :

• basic laboratory techniques