Home | International Phytobiomes Alliance

An industry-academic collaborative initiative focused on building a phytobiome-based foundation for accelerating the sustainable production of food, feed, and fiber.

Featured Project

Genome-based circumscription and phenotyping of regulated microbes, especially the select agent Ralstonia solanacearum

Rapid and precise identification of putative bacterial pathogens is critically important in protecting U.S. agriculture. This project leverages genome sequencing and genome-based classification to precisely identify select agents and other high risk quarantine pathogens and conclusively distinguish them from non-pathogens and closely related pathogens already present in the United States. While the experimental work is focused on Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs), the employed genome sequence-based approach is expandable to other bacterial pathogens.

Upcoming Events

Organized by the Alliance

International Phytobiomes Conference 2021

14-17 September 2021 • Denver, CO, USA

The International Phytobiomes Conference 2021 will bring together a broad community of international researchers and scientists from the public and private sector to collectively advance the newly-emerging field of phytobiomes research.

More Events

Featured Sponsor

Aphea.Bio

Aphea.Bio was founded in 2017 as a spin-off of the VIB and its partner universities UGent and KU Leuven and has raised about 10 million US$ in funding. The company can count on a solid scientific team of 22 people and strong leadership team with many years of experience in science and business.

Webinar: Circles H2020: Can natural microbiomes be exploited for more sustainable, safe, productive and nutritious food production?
CIRCLES is a multi-national, multi-actor, 5-year consortium funded by the European Commission and aimed at developing microbiome applications to improve food production, quality, sustainability and safety. September 01, 2020 News, Webinar
Webinar: Managing nutrients as a system – 4R Nutrient Stewardship
Managing nutrients is a key part of an agronomic system. 4R Nutrient Stewardship provides a framework to achieve cropping system goals, such as increased production, increased farmer profitability, enhanced environmental protection and improved sustainability. September 01, 2020 News, Webinar
Agriculture and the Microbiome
Agriculture is one of the keystones of human civilization, providing a reliable, stationary source of food that allowed ancient populations to grow and eventually build cities. Modern agriculture is successful today because of advances in mechanization, breeding, nutrients (e.g., fertilization), and pest and disease management, all of which enhance crop productivity and provide greater food security. Yet even with this progress, the amount of cropland per capita has declined, available farmland is being consumed by urban development at unprecedented rates, and crop yields are plateauing. Crop yields must continue to increase and the gap between plant productivity and consumption must be bridged. Expanding the use of crop microbiomes to improve plant production is that next agricultural revolution. August 26, 2020 Article, News
Landmark paper calls for the need to develop the world’s microbiome biobanking infrastructure
Source: CABI Press Release A team of scientists, led by CABI’s Dr Matthew Ryan, have outlined a series of challenges and opportunities presented in a necessary review of how microbiomes – biological communities including bacteria, archaea, fungi, algae, protists and viruses – can be ‘banked’ and preserved for generations to come. August 13, 2020 News, Press Release