Bacteriology

PLANT BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY / Crop Improvement

Research Interests

• Cell–cell signaling in bacterial communities, with a focus on plant-associated bacteria
• Plant and root microbiomes,for climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture
• Development and technology transfer of microbial products for food security in Africa, including fermented foods and agricultural bioinoculants

Strains4Plants

Description of Research

The Bacteriology Group at ICGEB investigates bacterial cell–cell communication and the role of microbial interactions in plant-associated microbiomes, with the long-term objective of deciphering cell-cell signalling in the plant microbiome. The group has a long-standing and internationally recognized expertise in contact-independent bacterial signaling, particularly N-acyl homoserine lactone–dependent quorum sensing in Gram-negative bacteria, and has contributed to understanding how these systems regulate bacterial community structure, plant colonization, and interspecies and interkingdom communication.

A major focus of the group is also the study of plant microbiomes and the identification and development of beneficial bacteria as microbial inoculants. Using crops such as rice and sorghum as model systems, the group integrates microbiome analysis, genomics, and synthetic bacterial consortia to reduce agrochemical inputs and improve plant health and productivity. This work is particularly directed toward agriculture in Africa, including extreme environments affected by drought and salinity.

The group has recently considerably expanded its involvement in Africa, with multiple collaborations aimed at addressing food security and sustainability. Ongoing projects include the development of defined starter cultures for traditional milk fermentation in Ethiopia and Morocco, with plans to extend these activities to Algeria and Tunisia. In parallel, the group collaborates with African partners to develop locally adapted microbial inoculants for sustainable agriculture.

An important current and future research direction is the development of root microbiome transplantation strategies to enhance plant resilience to climate change, particularly tolerance to desiccation and salinity in Africa.

The efforts of research activities and partnerships in Africa are closely linked to the group’s activities at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Morocco, an emerging research hub for Africa, which provides a strategic platform to strengthen scientific bridges, capacity building, and collaborative research between Africa and ICGEB.

Recent Publications