Work

Harnessing Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds for Crop Protection: Scientific Discovery, Bridging Ecological Function and On‐Farm Application

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Microbial volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are integral to microbial ecological communication. Their potential as tools for sustainable crop protection is increasingly recognised, yet practical implementation remains limited. There are numerous in vitro lab-based studies focussed on screening single strains of soil or plant-associated microbes for their ability to produce VOCs and demonstrate their potential to inhibit plant pathogens or pests. Most of these, however, lack any validation in planta or in the field after petri dish experiments. This extends to a lack of understanding on whether the same VOCs are produced in vitro as in planta. How do we shift this focus and move from exciting lab-based discoveries to practical, scalable crop protection solutions for farmers? This opinion piece explores the current state of research on microbial VOCs for crop protection, translational challenges in deploying them on-farm, and highlights areas where learnings from the ecological roles of microbial VOCs can be leveraged towards field application.

Source: Microbial Biotechnology

DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.70313

Authors: Katharina Belt, Lachlan Dow, Marta Gallart, Louise F. Thatcher

Institutions: The University of Western Australia, ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food

Language: English

Topic: Plant-Microbe Interactions and Immunity

Subfield: Plant Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Zero hunger, Life on land

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $4,260