Controlling Destructive Pests

Problem

How can we reduce the risk for growers transitioning to organic production?

• The United States is the largest producer and exporter of corn in the world, but nearly half of its organic corn supply is imported.
• Risks posed in managing insects and weeds without conventional pesticides often deter producers from transitioning their fields to organic corn production.

Findings

An interdisciplinary team inoculated seeds of corn with spores of the soil fungus Metarhizium robertsii to study how natural processes already occurring in the plant's roots and soil impact pest pressures and plant growth.

• Colonized plants grew taller and produced more aboveground biomass compared to control plants.
• The beneficial fungus also boosted the expression of plant defense genes.

Impact

This research demonstrates that corn growers, especially organic corn growers, can benefit from managing their fi elds to promote this naturally occurring fungus. Their continued research could help to develop new seed treatments that would provide for organic farmers:

• Safe, cost-effective, and ecofriendly methods for leveraging a plant's natural defenses to cope with stresses
• Practices that can foster symbiotic relationships with microbes already present in the soil

Related Research Areas:  Environmental Resilience, Advanced Agricultural and Food Systems

Research Credit

Team

• Mary Barbercheck, Imtiaz Ahmad, María del Mar Jiménez-Gasco, Dawn Luthe, Samina Shakeeld

Participating Departments

• Entomology
• Plant Pathology

Competitive Funding

• USDA NIFA (Organic Transitions Program), Organic Farming Research Foundation

Federal and State Appropriations

• USDA NIFA Hatch Projects PEN04606 and PEN04676, Accession #1009990 and #1017795

Emerging Discoveries

Common soil fungus could be ally in organic corn growers' fight against pests

April 22, 2020

A common soil fungus might be enlisted as a powerful partner by corn producers to suppress pests and promote plant growth, according to Penn State researchers, who suggest promoting the fungus could be an especially valuable strategy for organic growers who struggle with insect control.

Corn-colonizing fungus may help the crop repel disease, grow larger

December 14, 2022

A fungus that can colonize, or grow within, corn plants doesn’t just leave the plant unharmed — it also can help the plant stave off harmful bugs and other fungi, according to a new study by Penn State researchers.

Published Research

Endophytic Metarhizium robertsii promotes maize growth, suppresses insect growth, and alters plant defense gene expression

• Ahmad, I., Jiménez-Gasco, M. D. M., Luthe, D. S., Shakeel, S. N., & Barbercheck, M. E. (2020). Endophytic Metarhizium robertsii promotes maize growth, suppresses insect growth, and alters plant defense gene expression. Biological Control, 144, [104167]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2019.104167

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