Seed microbiome engineering: a route to sustainable agriculture

This project investigates the role of microbial communities in enhancing parsnip seed germination and establishment. Seeds host diverse microorganisms, some beneficial to plant growth and stress resilience. However, commercial seed cleaning methods remove both harmful and beneficial microbes, increasing dependence on agrochemicals.

This research aims to develop an ‘enhanced microbiome’ application by analysing microbial diversity, testing individual and combined microbes’ effects on germination, and evaluating field performance. Focused on parsnip, an economically important but understudied UK crop, this project seeks to improve sustainable agricultural practices by reducing reliance on fertilisers and pesticides through beneficial seed microbiomes.