J. Westerdijk Room: Portrait of Eline Verbon
Soil bacteria are the organic plant protectors of the future.
Soil bacteria
Eline Verbon researches the use of soil bacteria as a sustainable means of improving plant growth and resistance.
Improving plant resistance
"Similarly to how benign intestinal bacteria improve human health, soil bacteria on plant roots can improve plants’ resistance. I examine the signal from the root cells when bacteria take up residence on the root."
Sustainable solutions
"We then investigate how this signal is converted into increased plant resistance. Our research thus contributes to finding solutions to social challenges such as food security and sustainable agriculture."