Assessing the Effects of Biostimulant Elicitor-Class Compounds on Plant Immunity, Pathogen Resistance, and Crop Quality

This project addresses the urgent need to enhance plant resilience against pathogens while reducing reliance on synthetic pesticides. We propose a data-driven, systems biology approach to evaluate the impact of elicitor biostimulant compounds—specifically damage-, microbe-, pathogen-, and herbivore-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs, MAMPs, PAMPs, HAMPs)—on plant immunity, stress tolerance, and crop quality. These compounds, which function analogously to vaccines, activate innate defense pathways in plants and hold promise for more sustainable agriculture.

Through a combination of high-throughput biological screening and machine learning models, we will assess how specific elicitor combinations affect phytohormone dynamics, defense metabolite biosynthesis, and yield-related traits. A core component of the project involves the development of a deep learning framework to identify optimal elicitor regimes and application strategies tailored to different crops and growing environments. The expected outcomes include reduced pesticide use, improved disease resistance, and enhanced crop quality, directly aligning with the EU’s Farm to Fork and Green Deal objectives.