Title : Development and application of biocontrol mechanism of cucumber fusarium wilt: Harnessing microbiome engineering for sustainable horticultural production systems
Abstract:
Horticulture production requires high inputs of pesticides to control destructive pathogens. However, the recent rules on plant protection are promoting alternative means to synthetic pesticides as a result of environmental pollution, residues in agricultural products and pathogen resistance to pesticides. Currently, the control of plant pathogens in horticulture is facing new challenges for adapting the new pathogen control strategies to meet consumer demand. Therefore, developing integrated biological methods and exploring microbial-mediated disease suppression have become crucial for sustainable production. In this context, soil microbial communities are fundamental drivers of ecosystem function, playing a crucial role in maintaining soil health, enhancing crop productivity, and managing soilborne diseases. In horticultural systems, particularly under intensive cultivation, these microbial assemblages can either suppress or support plant health depending on their composition and functional potential. With rising challenges in sustainable cucumber production—such as soil degradation, nutrient imbalances, and increased pathogen pressure—understanding and manipulating the soil microbiome has become increasingly essential. This presentation explores the dynamic interactions between horticulture-associated microbial communities and their role in sustainable cucumber production systems. These integrative roles offer unique opportunities to steer soil microbial communities in favour of plant-beneficial traits. The research highlights how targeted soil management practices—such as organic amendments, biological amendment and microbial inoculants—can enrich beneficial microbial taxa and functional groups associated with nutrient cycling, disease suppression, and plant growth promotion. By employing advanced soil microbiome analysis techniques, including high-throughput sequencing and quantitative PCR, we investigate the shifts in microbial diversity, structure, and function under different soil and crop management practices. Our findings reveal that specific microbial consortia are closely linked with improved cucumber yield, enhanced nutrient availability, and reduced incidence of soilborne diseases. Furthermore, we demonstrate how microbial indicators can serve as early predictors of soil health status and crop performance. The presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of how manipulating microbial communities contributes to sustainable horticulture, particularly in high-value vegetable crops like cucumber. Special attention is given to the application of microbiome-based strategies for biological disease management, where promoting antagonistic microbes and disrupting pathogen niches offer eco-friendly alternatives to chemical controls. Overall, this research contributes to a better understanding of the ecological functions of soil microbial communities in horticultural systems and provides practical insights into microbiome-informed management practices. These findings support the development of resilient, productive, and sustainable cucumber production systems by leveraging the power of beneficial microbes. The integration of soil microbiome science into protected cultivation has the potential to revolutionize how we approach crop management, making it more biologically driven and environmentally sound.
