Plant species shape their own rhizosphere community, and on its turn selected soil biota shape the growth and development of plants.

Panama disease of banana, caused by the soil-borne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f.s.

The aim of the Saprofeed project was to enhance natural biocontrol of root-infecting pathogenic fungi in arable soils via stimulation of the growth of saprotrophic fungi (growing on dead organic materials). The basic idea, indicated in the picture, is that stimulation of saprotrophic fungi will lead to direct or indirect (via bacteria) competitive suppression of root-infecting pathogens.

Aquaculture is the fastest growing animal food production sector in the world and is an increasingly important contributor to global food supply.

In aquaculture, diseases caused by the fungal-like oomycete Saprolegnia, but also ectoparasites are causing significant declines in fish and crayfish populations. To date, these diseases are controlled in aquaculture mainly by formalin treatment.

Since recently, Dutch farmers are required to grow cover crops in mixtures of at least two plant species.
In the Clever Cropping Project we investigated whether mixtures of cover crops have beneficial effects on soil microbiology and associated functions.
In long-term field experiments and laboratory incubations, we assessed emissions of greenhouse gasses and the diversity, abundance, and activity of microbial groups involved in environmentally relevant processes.
While in laboratory incubations we could clearly find increased beneficial microbial functioning associated with mixtures of cover crop residues, we could not observe this in a 5-year field experiment.
Overall, the use of cover crop mixtures did not have significant beneficial effects on soil microbial functioning but also no negative effects on for example greenhouse gas emissions.

Methanotrophic bacteria are crucial in the regulation of methane concentration in the atmosphere and therefore for regulating our climate.

Zooplankton is a crucial component of aquatic food webs