Researchers Publish Findings On Plant Bacteria

A research scientist with the Department of Agriculture and Forestry is the co-author of a review article on the importance of plant bacteria to crop production. The article by Dr. Tony Sturz, along with Drs. B.R. Christie of the Charlottetown Crops and Livestock Research Centre and J. Nowak of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College, is entitled Bacterial Endophytes: Potential Role in Developing Sustainable Systems of Crop Production. It was published in the prestigious scientific journal, Critical Reviews in Plant Science.

"These naturally occurring bacteria are found within all healthy plants, and help them to fend off plant diseases, speed growth, improve tolerance to drought and cold, increase yields and generally make plants fitter and more vigourous," said Dr. Sturz. "The article stressed the potential for using these bacteria to develop more sustainable systems of crop production."

The role of beneficial bacteria in plant and soil health and quality is a major component of the research being conducted by Dr. Sturz, who heads the department's Plant Health Research Section. The research on the relationship between beneficial bacteria and crop production will continue again this coming year. It is hoped that sustainable systems of crop production using these organisms could eventually reduce the current requirement for agrichemicals, including pesticides.