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Biocontrol Against Microbial Threats
Exploring phage interactions to develop biocontrol tools against plant pathogens in a changing climate.
What we're exploring
Plant pathogens are expected to have an increasing impact due to more frequent and extreme weather events. Bacteriophages, or phages, are one promising tool to control harmful bacteria, but their success depends on how they interact with both their target and the wider microbial environment.
This project will investigate how different phage combinations perform in complex microbial communities. It will also study how phages interact with each other and with their microbial surroundings, and how phage defence systems might be harnessed to support plant health. The research will generate new knowledge that advances biocontrol options for bacterial diseases.
Learn about Naturally Occurring Phages, from Te Tira Whakamātaki in collaboration with Rhiannon James Graphic Recording.
Current Research
Tranche 2 | 2025-2028
In progress
T2 | Microbial Biocontrol
Molecular basis of the apple scab pathosystem
In progress
T2 | Microbial Biocontrol
How apple scab outsmarts plant defences
In progress
T2 | Microbial Biocontrol
Impacts of phage-phage interactions
In progress
T2 | Microbial Biocontrol
How microbial communities affect virus biocontrol
Project Team
Early Career Researchers
Dr Marion Schoof
Roles:
Postdoctoral Fellow Tranche 2
Institution:
University of Otago
Project Leadership and Team
Project Insights and Updates
Releated Research
Foundational or related work from Tranche 1 (2021-2024)
Completed
T1 | Harnessing Biodefences
Fighting crop pathogens with viruses
Completed
T1 | Microbe-Host Interactions
Unveiling the molecular secrets of kauri dieback: Shedding light on Phytophthora agathidicida genome and effector genes
Completed
T1 | Microbial Defence
Interactions between bacteria on kiwifruit leaves
In progress
T1 | Microbial Defence