‘Vaccinating’ plants could boost global food security

In a rapidly growing and changing world, the need to produce enough food for everyone has become more urgent than ever. 

Pesticides have played a significant role in enabling large-scale farming, but they come with harmful side effects on both humans and wildlife, and pests are increasingly developing resistance to them. 

To address these challenges and pave the way for sustainable and resilient agriculture, a study published in Frontiers in Science explores the potential of induced resistance. 

This technique, similar to a vaccine for plants, activates a plant’s immune system so it can respond more effectively to similar stresses in the future.

Vaccinating plants for resistance

Induced resistance, though studied for decades, is only now beginning to gain traction as a method for crop protection. 

“We argue in favor of a holistic approach to crop protection, which combines multiple strategies to deliver tailored solutions. Induced resistance sits in the heart of such an integrated approach,” said lead author Brigitte Mauch-Mani, a biologist at the University of Neuchâtel.

Currently, most crops are protected by pesticides or are bred to have resistance genes. However, pests can out-evolve these solutions over time. 

Induced resistance, by contrast, strengthens a plant’s natural defenses, offering more sustainable, long-lasting protection that could target multiple pests and pathogens simultaneously.

How induced resistance works

Induced resistance comes in several forms, one of which includes plants releasing compounds that attract predators of harmful herbivores. 

The most well-known and studied form is defense priming. In defense priming, when a part of the plant is exposed to stress, it partially activates its defense mechanisms. 

When the plant is attacked again, these defenses are fully triggered. This form of resistance can be passed on to the next generation, potentially through epigenetic mechanisms, offering a long-term benefit.

Induced resistance and careful management 

However, induced resistance doesn’t provide complete protection on its own and must be used alongside other agricultural practices. It also requires careful management to ensure the plant’s growth isn’t compromised by diverting too many resources to defense.

Mauch-Mani explained that induced resistance is the result of a complex network of developmental and environmental pathways in the plant. 

“Safe and efficient exploitation of induced resistance is not as straightforward as the introgression of a single gene or spraying a single pesticide.” 

The implementation of induced resistance needs to be customized based on specific crops, growing conditions, and agricultural practices.

Vaccinating plants for healthier food

The “vaccinating” effects of induced resistance could offer benefits beyond protecting plants from pests.

Some of the compounds that plants produce in response to induced resistance are linked to health benefits and improved nutritional quality, which could lead to healthier food. 

Additionally, induced resistance can adapt more quickly to changing environmental conditions compared to traditional breeding methods, making it harder for pests to develop resistance.

When combined with integrated pest management, which uses natural enemies of pests as part of crop protection, induced resistance has the potential to significantly reduce the reliance on pesticides.

This could lead to more sustainable agricultural practices and longer-lasting crop protection. Further research into the epigenetic transmission of defense priming could enhance these benefits for future generations of crops.

Making induced resistance a reality

To make induced resistance a viable option for farmers and food scientists, more research is urgently needed.

This research should focus on understanding how induced resistance works in real-world conditions, outside of controlled environments, and on developing methods that can be scaled up for use in field trials and full-scale agriculture. 

The researchers also called for legislative support to establish quality standards that would protect both producers and consumers.

“We strongly believe that fundamental research into induced resistance will be critical for the transition towards a truly sustainable food supply,” said Mauch-Mani. 

However, she emphasized the need for improved communication between researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to turn scientific discoveries into practical solutions.

“Governments need to create a research environment and funding climate that allows for more efficient knowledge exchange between scientists, policymakers, and industry. Like the biology underpinning it, successful exploitation of induced resistance relies on a multifaceted effort,” she concluded.

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