PhD position 'Harnessing compost microbes for new crop protection products against foliar diseases' 100%
PhD position 'Harnessing compost microbes for new crop protection products against foliar diseases' 100%
Do you want to develop new sustainable plant protection products based on microorganisms and their metabolites?
Copper fungicides, which are still widely used due to a lack of efficient alternatives, need to be replaced urgently due to their unfavorable profile. There is consensus that several new sustainable alternatives need to be developed to reach the goal of organic farming without copper. In this project, we want to identify new bacterial and fungal strains with a protective effect against important foliar diseases (grapevine downy mildew caused by Plasmopara viticola and apple scab caused by Venturia inaequalis). We will focus on strains producing antimicrobial metabolites or inducing resistance in plants and will consider the use of living strains as well as of isolated metabolites. To find suitable strains, we will explore the microbiome of disease-protective compost extracts, which are known to contain a plethora of mostly unexplored microorganisms. The main research questions are 1) Can microorganisms present in suppressive composts protect plants from foliar pathogens? 2) What is the mode of action of the beneficial microorganisms? and 3) What microbial metabolites are associated with the beneficial activity of the microorganisms?
We will use an innovative approach combining classical plant-pathogen bioassays and microbiology with modern molecular methods (HTS-based metabarcoding/biostatistics) and state-of-the art analytical chemistry.
This 4-year PhD-Thesis-Project is based on a collaboration of the "Crop Protection and Phytopathology" group at the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL, the Plant Microbe Interactions Group at the University of Basel and the Pharmaceutical Biology Group at the University of Basel. Therefore, the PhD project will be conducted in all three research groups. Through this project the PhD student will gain a comprehensive understanding of molecular and classic microbiology as well as analytical chemistry, from design of pot experiments to lab work as well as data analyses.
Copper fungicides, which are still widely used due to a lack of efficient alternatives, need to be replaced urgently due to their unfavorable profile. There is consensus that several new sustainable alternatives need to be developed to reach the goal of organic farming without copper. In this project, we want to identify new bacterial and fungal strains with a protective effect against important foliar diseases (grapevine downy mildew caused by Plasmopara viticola and apple scab caused by Venturia inaequalis). We will focus on strains producing antimicrobial metabolites or inducing resistance in plants and will consider the use of living strains as well as of isolated metabolites. To find suitable strains, we will explore the microbiome of disease-protective compost extracts, which are known to contain a plethora of mostly unexplored microorganisms. The main research questions are 1) Can microorganisms present in suppressive composts protect plants from foliar pathogens? 2) What is the mode of action of the beneficial microorganisms? and 3) What microbial metabolites are associated with the beneficial activity of the microorganisms?
We will use an innovative approach combining classical plant-pathogen bioassays and microbiology with modern molecular methods (HTS-based metabarcoding/biostatistics) and state-of-the art analytical chemistry.
This 4-year PhD-Thesis-Project is based on a collaboration of the "Crop Protection and Phytopathology" group at the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL, the Plant Microbe Interactions Group at the University of Basel and the Pharmaceutical Biology Group at the University of Basel. Therefore, the PhD project will be conducted in all three research groups. Through this project the PhD student will gain a comprehensive understanding of molecular and classic microbiology as well as analytical chemistry, from design of pot experiments to lab work as well as data analyses.
Your position
- Adaption and performing of plant-pathogen bioassays and in vitro tests to evaluate efficacy of compost microorganisms/microbial consortia
- Taxonomic identification of microorganisms involved in plant protection using high-throughput sequencing followed by isolation techniques
- Bioinformatic and statistical analyses of metabarcoding data as well as adaptation and development of analytical pipelines and R-codes
- Identification of active compounds produced by beneficial microorganisms using, e.g., HPLC-MS and NMR spectroscopy
- Presentation of research findings at national and international conferences
- Publication of the results in scientific journals
Your profile
- MSc degree in plant science, microbiology, ecology, agronomy or related field with a strong interest in phytopathology, analysis of microbial communities, molecular genetics, and analytical chemistry
- Experience with statistics (R)
- Achievement-oriented, open-minded personality with strong self-motivation and spirit for teamwork
- Flexibility to work at three different institutes
- A very good level of English (spoken and written), German skills an advantage
We offer you
We offer an attractive project and work environment in multidisciplinary research teams. FiBL and the University of Basel have excellent research facilities with well-equipped laboratories, greenhouses and climate chambers. You will be enrolled as a PhD student at the University of Basel at the doctoral program of the Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center (PSC, www.plantsciences.uzh.ch). Basel is a mid-sized Swiss city, well connected and offering a broad range of cultural and recreational activities.
Application / Contact
We accept only online applications. Online applications must contain an application letter, your CV, a copy of certificates/Diplomas (MSc &BSc) and contact details of two references.
Applications are welcome until the position is filled and will be reviewed starting July 29, 2024. For more information, contact Dr. Barbara Thürig (Write an email), Dr. Pascale Flury (Write an email) or Prof. Olivier Potterat (Write an email )
We accept only online applications. Online applications must contain an application letter, your CV, a copy of certificates/Diplomas (MSc &BSc) and contact details of two references.
Applications are welcome until the position is filled and will be reviewed starting July 29, 2024. For more information, contact Dr. Barbara Thürig (Write an email), Dr. Pascale Flury (Write an email) or Prof. Olivier Potterat (Write an email )
Universität Basel
4000 Basel
4000 Basel
Place of work
4000 Basel
About the company
