Plant-Microbe Interactions
Plants are colonized by a multitude of microbes, some of which can cause devastating diseases while others can improve plant growth and health. Our group is interested in the interactions of plant-beneficial bacteria with plant pathogens and the plant host.
Plant-beneficial rhizobacteria are used as biological control agents in crop protection. However, efficacy often varies depending on the application context, such as the plant host, pathogen species, or soil type, which is a major obstacle to a successful application. To resolve this context dependency, a better understanding of the ecological versatility of rhizobacteria is critical. The ecological interactions of rhizobacteria are very complex and often still elusive. Recent work, for instance, has demonstrated that arthropods could represent important alternative hosts and potential vectors for plant-associated rhizobacteria.
We aim to unravel the ecology of plant-beneficial rhizobacteria, especially of the Pseudomonas fluorescens group. We want to understand their interactions with plants and insect hosts, pathogenic microbes, and the environment.
A second focus in our group is on understanding the disease-suppressive activity of compost microbiomes. Compost applications are an effective and environmentally friendly means to prevent soil-borne diseases, but their activity varies and cannot be predicted prior to application. In collaboration with FiBL and Agroscope, we are trying to shed light on how the compost microbiome suppresses soil-borne diseases.
Pascale Flury’s group is part of the Plant-Microbe Interactions Group, led by Prof. Klaus Schlaeppi and located at the Department of Environmental Sciences. She is also involved in teaching at bachelor and master levels and gives lectures, for example, on plant-microbe interactions or plant protection.
Dr. Pascale Flury
University of Basel
Department of Environmental Sciences
4056 Basel
+41 61 207 23 28