The Patent Office of the Republic of Poland granted patent to the University of Gdańsk for the invention of scientists from the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology (IFB) of University of Gdańsk and Medical University of Gdańsk. The invention, created within the scope of LIDER VI project, may be applied in eco-friendly and safe for humans biological protection of crops and ornamental plants from the bacterial pathogens.
The subject of the patent, called “Mixtures of antagonistic bacterial strains Serratia plymuthica strain A294, Enterobacter amnigenus strain A167, Rahnella aquatilis strain H145, Serratia rubidaea strain H440, Serratia rubidaea strain H469 and their application in protecting or curing plant infections caused by Pectobacterium and Dickeya bacteria” is a mixture of five beneficial bacterial strains, isolated from the environment, which collectively have the capacity to protect plants from plant bacterial pathogens.
The following scientists invented the plant protection product: dr hab. Robert Czajkowski, prof. UG, mgr Tomasz Maciąg, dr Dorota M. Krzyżanowska, dr hab. Sylwia Jafra, prof. UG and dr Joanna Siwińska from the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Gdańsk and Medical University of Gdańsk.
- Bacterial diseases cause massive economic agricultural loss all over the globe. Commonly used crop and ornamental plant protection products are often toxic to people, animals and the environment, that is why scientists search for innovative, safe and natural methods of biological protection of plants from pathogens. One of such methods is using safe for humans and eco-friendly beneficial bacteria (antagonistic towards pathogens) and their consortia (mixtures) – explains dr hab. Robert Czajkowski, prof. UG.
The invention developed by the scientists from the University of Gdańsk might not only serve as innovative solution to the issue of bacterial diseases in agriculture but also is in line with the global trends of developing innovative, eco-friendly and safe for humans biological plant protection products.
Translation: Adam Myzyk