A common soil fungus may help farmers cut back on synthetic fungicides, new research shows, by releasing natural airborne chemicals that suppress destructive plant diseases.
Researchers at Rothamsted, working with colleagues at the universities of Warwick and Exeter, discovered that Trichoderma hamatum — already known for its plant-protective qualities — emits volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that hinder crop pathogens. In lab tests, these natural vapours slowed the spread of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, a mould that causes rot in crops such as lettuce, beans and oilseed rape.
The researchers found that when T. hamatum was grown alongside S. sclerotiorum, the interaction sparked a surge in VOC production, peaking after 17 days. Several of these compounds — including 1-octen-3-one — were shown to stop not only S. sclerotiorum but also other damaging fungi, such as Botrytis cinerea (grey mould), Pyrenopeziza brassicae(light leaf spot) and Gaeumannomyces tritici (take-all in wheat).
The findings suggest that such natural compounds could be developed into a more sustainable alternative to conventional fungicides, which are facing increasing regulatory restrictions in the UK and Europe, according to a press release.
“Further work is needed to understand how these fungal VOCs operate in real-world farming conditions, and whether they can be harnessed effectively at scale,” Rothamsted’s Dr Joszef Vuts, a co-author of the study said. “But the discovery offers fresh hope for greener crop protection at a time when agriculture is under pressure to cut chemical inputs.”
