FINE-TUNED REGULATION OF PLANT DEFENSES BY IR ELICITING SYMBIONTS (FINEMIR)

Certain soil-beneficial microbes, including arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Trichoderma species, can modulate the plant immune system enhancing their resistance to insect pests. Our previous results show that microbe-induced plant resistance (MIR) is an efficient tool to add to integrated pest
management programs in horticulture. Despite significant recent advances in understanding MIR, substantial knowledge gaps remain, particularly regarding the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying its functioning, hindering the full potential of MIR as a pest management tool. FineMIR aims
to address these gaps by leveraging our previously generated omics data and established plant-microbe-insect bioassays. Our overall goal is to refine our understanding of the complex regulation of plant defenses mediated by MIR. Specifically, we focus on key regulatory components involved in MIR
onset, systemic signaling, and display, as well as its impact on herbivorous pests (second trophic level) and their natural enemies (third trophic level). FineMIR involves a multidisciplinary approach, integrating multi-omics high-throughput techniques, bioinformatics, functional genomics, pharmacological strategies, and multi-trophic level bioassays to achieve four main objectives: (1) functional characterization of selected, differentially regulated components (metabolites, proteins, genes, and transcription factors) as novel key elements in MIR; (2) uncovering the signaling mechanisms that coordinate MIR, with a particular focus on oxylipins; (3) determining the role of specific plant volatiles in mediating MIR effects on pest repellency and interactions with natural enemies; and (4) exploring the long-term effects of MIR on herbivores, including transgenerational impact associated with the MIR imprint in insects. By employing comprehensive bioassays and cutting-edge molecular techniques, FineMIR will provide a deeper understanding of the mechanistic basis of MIR, shedding light on the intricate regulation of MIR within plants and its long-term impacts on herbivore pests. Ultimately, FineMIR will yield crucial insights for the optimization of MIR as a sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides, paving the way for more environmentally
friendly crop protection strategies