Biotic Interactions - Prof. Dr. Matthias Erb

The lactonase BxdA mediates metabolic specialisation of maize root bacteria to benzoxazinoids

Root exudates contain specialised metabolites that influence the root microbiome of the plant. This study systematically investigated how maize root bacteria metabolize benzoxazinoids, the main bioactive compounds of maize. The authors found that some maize root bacteria can metabolise the benzoxazinoid MBOA to the red degradation product AMPO, whereas root bacteria from other plant species cannot. These maize bacteria carry a unique gene, bxdA, a lactonase, which allows them to metabolise benzoxazinoids and thus specifically adapt to the roots of maize plants.

Corn reduces arsenic toxicity in soil

When crops grow in arsenic-contaminated soil, this toxic element accumulates in the food chain. A study by the University of Bern and the University of Basel has now discovered a mechanism used by corn plants to reduce arsenic uptake: the key factor is a special substance released into the soil by the roots.

Chemicals from maize roots influence wheat yield

Maize roots secrete certain chemicals that affect the quality of soil. In some fields, this effect increases yields of wheat planted subsequent to maize in the same soil by more than 4%. This was proven by researchers from the University of Bern. While the findings from several field experiments show that these effects are highly variable, in the long term they may yet help to make the cultivation of grains more sustainable, without the need for additional fertilizers or pesticides.

CHIMIA Special Issue on Chemical Ecology

Switzerland has an active and vibrant Chemical Ecology community. A special issue in CHIMIA now puts a spotlight on this topic. The special issue consists of eight reviews that highlight the research accomplishments and future aims of several leading laboratories, with topics ranging from basic chemical ecology to application in sustainable agriculture. CHIMIA is an open access journal published by the Swiss Chemical Society (SCS).

Positive evaluation for EU funding

Matthias Erb has received a positive evaluation from the European Research Council ERC for his application for one of the prestigious "Consolidator Grants". His project CANWAS (Canopy Waves - Volatile Information Transfer Across Multiple Plants) is developing a system to measure fragrance waves and then uses this system to study the interactions between groups of plants in the laboratory and in the field.

Soil composition determines if plant defenses work

Plant secondary metabolites often have multiple functions, but how these functions interact to determine plant-environment interactions is not well understood. This study demonstrates that the protective effects of multifunctional maize secondary metabolites against a major pest are fully dependent on soil chemical composition. The presented findings link soil processes to leaf-defenses and illustrate the limits of using multifunctional plant secondary metabolites to combat major herbivore pests.

IRC One Health extended

Thanks to their excellent progress, the University of Bern has agreed to fund the three interfaculty research projects (IRC) for a further two years, including One Health, led by the IPS Director Matthias Erb. Within a short period of time, the IRC "One Health" has established a new, unique interdisciplinary research network to investigate the impact of various environmental chemicals on the health of food chains and their microbial communities.

How wallflowers evolved a complementary pair of plant defenses

A new study led by Tobias Züst shows that a pair of complementary chemical defenses evolved independently in wallflowers, shaped by co-evolution with local insects.

Engineering bacterial symbionts of nematodes improves biocontrol potential of the western corn rootworm

Nematode bacterial symbionts were evolved in vitro to resist insect-sequestered plant toxins to improve the insect-killing efficacy of their nematode host.

How Nematodes Outsmart the Defenses of Pests

The western corn rootworm, one of the world's most damaging maize pests, can use plant defense compounds to defend itself against its own natural enemies, so-called entomopathogenic nematodes. However, the nematodes can become immune against these compounds in turn, which enhances their ability to fight the western corn rootworm.

Geniale Gewächse bei SRF «Einstein»

Wieso können Pflanzen ihre Umgebung wahrnehmen und sogar darauf reagieren, obwohl sie weder Augen noch Ohren haben? Die SRF-Fernsehsendung «Einstein» zum Thema «Geniale Gewächse» dreht sich um diese Frage. Im Fokus steht unter anderem die Forschung zur Duftstoffwahrnehmung und Schädlingsresistenz am Institut für Pflanzenwissenschaften der Universität Bern.

Cereals use chemical defenses in a multifunctional manner against different herbivores

A team of scientists from the University of Bern and the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology (Germany) and their partners have characterized multiple functions of benzoxazinoids in wheat: The toxic form of the substances makes the plant directly resistant to lepidopteran larvae, whereas a less toxic form regulates indirect defense mechanisms against aphids.

How an herbivore hijacks a nutrient uptake strategy of its host plant

The Western corn rootworm is attracted by complexes between maize toxins and iron that form in the rhizosphere, extracts the bound iron from the complexes and uses it for its own nutrition. With these insights, researchers provide a new explanation for the extraordinary success of the Western corn rootworm as a global maize pest and unravel a new facet of plant-herbivore interactions.

How plants shape the future of their offspring

Plants can change soil microbial communities and thereby affect other plants. Researchers from the University of Bern and Agroscope now provide a mechanism for this phenomenon by demonstrating that maize roots release bioactive compounds that reprogram soil microbial communities and thereby strengthen the resistance of the next plant generation.

Plant volatiles protect caterpillars against natural enemies

The herbivore induced plant volatile indole renders caterpillars repellent and more resistant to their natural enemies. This newly discovered aspect of tritrophic interactions may limit efforts to use plant volatiles for biological control.

"Great potential is released by the interdisciplinary approach"

When environmental chemicals such as pesticides penetrate the soil, they can influence whole food chain systems – i.e. from soil to plants right up to ruminants and humans. This phenomenon is being investigated by the Interfaculty Research Cooperation "One Health: Cascading and Microbiome-Dependent Effects on Multitrophic Health" in nine research groups.

From soil, plants and ruminants to humans

The project "One Health: Cascading and Microbiome-Dependent Effects on Multitrophic Health" deals with an increasingly important field of research in which the interaction between environmental, animal and human health is investigated. The 9 research groups are investigating in particular the influence of environmental changes on food chain systems - that is, on soils, plants, ruminants and finally on mice as model organisms for human health.

Maize pest beats maize with its own weapons

Our new study shows how the Western corn rootworm puts the maize plants’ defense strategies out of action. The results explain why biological control of the crop pest has not been efficient.

Interdisziplinäre Gesundheitsforschung

Die Universitätsleitung bewilligt ein Verbundprojekt zum Thema «One Health». 10 Forschungsgruppen aus 3 Fakultäten der Universität Bern untersuchen darin gemeinsam die Zusammenhänge zwischen der Gesundheit von Umwelt, Pflanze, Tier und Mensch. Geleitet wird das Projekt von Matthias Erb vom Institut für Pflanzenwissenschaften.

Understanding the immune system of plants

Plants produce their own natural insecticides. The research section Biotic Interactions led by Prof. Matthias Erb studies their biosynthesis, behavior and effects on herbivores. The work of Prof. Erb is featured with a portrait in the 2016-2017 Annual Report of the Swiss National Science Foundation

Er sucht die «Pflanzen-Nase»

Er erhielt 2,2 Millionen Franken EU-Fördergelder für seine Forschung, ist ­Leiter der Abteilung Biotische Interaktionen am Institut für Pflanzenwissenschaften der Universität Bern und ist Landwirt in Boltigen.

Dem Duft der Pflanzen auf der Spur

Matthias Erbs Geschichte ist die eines Bergbauernbuben, der früh wegzog aus seinem Dorf im Simmental, hinaus in die Welt. Und der wieder zurückgekehrt ist - jetzt Professor für Biologie

Prof. Matthias Erb erhält ERC «Starting Grant»

Der European Research Council (ERC) fördert vier Forschungsprojekte an der Universität Bern mit je einem Starting Grant. Die Empfänger der Fördergelder sind Stéphane Ciocchi, Institut für Physiologie, Matthias Erb, Institut für Pflanzenwissenschaften, Nidesh Lawtoo, Center for Global Studies (CGS) und Florian Piegsa, Albert Einstein Center for Fundamental Physics (AEC).

Jasmonatarmer Tabak ist für Säugetiere ein gefundenes Fressen

Tabakpflanzen, denen die Steuerungshormone für die Produktion des Nervengiftes Nicotin fehlen, werden zum Leckerbissen für Kaninchen und andere Säugetiere

Mechanisms and evolution of plant resistance to aphids. Nature Plants 2: 15206

Systemically induced resistance in plants is common and often involves targeted responses to specific aphid species or even genotypes.

A Latex Metabolite Benefits Plant Fitness under Root Herbivore Attack. PLoS Biol 14(1): e1002332 (2016)

Our results furnish an ecological and evolutionary explanation for the high concentrations of root and latex secondary metabolites and highlight the potential of soil-dwelling insects to shape the chemical defenses of their host plants. Foto: Meret Huber, MPI chem. Ökol., PLOS Biology

SRF Einstein: Schädlings-Abwehr: «Alarmsystem mit Duftnote»

Pflanzen haben ein Handicap: Sie können nicht fliehen, wenn sie von Schädlingen angegriffen werden. Trotzdem sind Pflanzen nicht wehrlos – sie haben verschiedene Strategien entwickelt um sich gegen Käfer, Raupen und Co. wehren zu können. Maispflanzen beispielsweise, haben eine eigene Duftstoffsprache entwickelt, um gegen ihre Feinde vorzugehen.

Warnsignal der Maispflanzen entschlüsselt

Berner Forschende identifizierten im Rahmen einer Zusammenarbeit mit der Universität Neuchâtel einen Duftstoff, der Maispflanzen als Warnsignal für einen bevorstehenden Schädlingsbefall dient. Pflanzen können zwar nicht sprechen, aber sie können Duftstoffe abgeben, um mit ihrer Umwelt zu kommunizieren.

Indole is an essential herbivore-induced volatile priming signal in maize. Nature Communications 6: 6273 (2015)

Herbivore-induced volatile organic compounds prime non-attacked plant tissues to respond more strongly to subsequent attacks. In conclusion, we propose that ​indole is a reliable and effective signal for priming because its release is greatly enhanced by herbivory as compared with mere mechanical damage and it is released faster than other inducible volatiles.