Conservation of a Multifunctional Fungus for Plant Protection in Organic Cropping Systems
Project Director
Mary Barbercheck
Year Funded
2019
Award Number
2019-51106-30198
Funded Institution
Pennsylvania State University
Grant Program
ORG (Organic Transitions)
USDA NIFA Report
Project Overview
The soil-dwelling, root-endophytic fungus Metarhizium robertsii promotes crop growth, stimulates plant defenses, suppresses pathogens, and parasitizes insect pest larvae. This research explored factors in the efficacy of the corn-M. robertsii partnership and aimed to develop strategies to conserve the fungus and maximize its benefits for corn production.
Studies were conducted to determine efficacy of seed inoculation and natural soil populations in establishing endophytic M. robertsii in corn and to evaluate the effects of tillage, cover crops, drought, excessive moisture, and feeding by black cutworm on the corn-fungus symbiosis and expression of plant defenses.
Farmer Takeaways
(1) When the soil-borne fungus Metarhizium robertsii grows into corn roots, it promotes growth and enhances resistance to drought, black cutworm, and southern corn leaf blight.
(2) Winter cereal grain and legume cover crops can host M robertsii and may thereby sustain populations to benefit the next crop.
(3) Judicious routine tillage does not harm M. robertsii populations.
Project Outputs
Shea A. W. Tillotson, S. A. W., C. A. Voortman, J. M. Wallace, and M. E. Barbercheck. 2025. Tillage type and sentinel insect species affect the relative prevalence of the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium robertsii, in soil. PLOS One.
Peterson, H, Ahmad, I., and Barbercheck, M.E. 2023. Maize response to endophytic Metarhizium robertsii is altered by water stress. PLOS One.
Ahmad, I., Jiménez-Gasco, M., Luthe, D.S., and Barbercheck, M.E. 2022. Endophytic Metarhizium robertsii suppresses the phytopathogen, Cochliobolus heterostrophus and modulates maize defenses. PLoS ONE 17(9): e0272944.
Flonc, B., Barbercheck, M., and Ahmad, I. 2021. Observations on the relationships between endophytic Metarhizium robertsii, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and maize. Pathogens, 10, 713.
Ahmad, I., Jiménez-Gasco, M., Luthe, D.S., and Barbercheck, M. 2020. Systemic colonization by Metarhizium robertsii enhances cover crop growth. Journal of Fungi, 6, 64.
Ahmad, I., Jiménez-Gasco, M.D.M., Luthe, D.S., Shakeel, S.N., and Barbercheck, M. 2020. Endophytic Metarhizium robertsii enhances maize growth, suppresses insect growth and alters plant defense gene expression. Biological Control, 104167.