Chemical ecology describes intra- and interspecific interactions across a multitude of taxa via natural chemical products. In agricultural settings, we are specifically interested in plant interactions with their biotic environment and how we can utilize chemical ecology in sustainable crop production. Examples of ecological interactions driven by phytochemicals include plant resistance to pests, attraction of pollinators, recruiting beneficial microbes, and communication to neighboring plants. Implementing the concept of chemical ecology in crop production can utilize ecosystem multifunctionality and provide a multitude of ecosystem services as essential sustainability pillars in the agricultural green transition.
Several classes of compounds have a central role in the study of the chemical ecology of agricultural crops: secondary/specialized metabolites including alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolics and phytohormones modulating and conferring plant defense. We have built extensive expertise in several plant secondary metabolites, for example, benzoxazinoids, which include structural elucidation, quantitative analysis, metabolism, and their impact in the agricultural settings. Volatile organic compounds emitted by plants to attract pollinators, repel pests, or signal distress to neighboring plants. Root exudates are chemicals secreted by roots and influence soil microbiota, nutrient uptake, and interactions with neighboring plants as well as fungi and bacteria.
By studying chemical interactions, we seek to unlock the full potential of phytochemicals to boost plant performance and reduce the need for extensive agrochemical inputs. The goal is to identify plant chemical synergies that can enhance crop performance and resistance to pests. This knowledge could lead to effective “biosolutions” to replace pesticides with nature-based strategies, advancing the global efforts for greener, more sustainable farming practices towards a future where chemical inputs are no longer needed. In the context of agricultural applications, understanding these interactions will open a transformative path to implement sustainability and biodiversity in crop production, via unraveling the phytochemical diversity and their role in ecosystem multifunctionality and soil health management. Chemical ecology provides powerful tools to address pressing challenges in agriculture. By understanding and harnessing the chemical interactions between crops and their environment, in collaboration with stakeholders and agronomists, we develop innovative strategies to improve crop health, reduce chemical inputs, and ensure food security in a changing world.
Our group utilizes state-of-the-art chemical analytical methods (LC-MS/MS, GC-MS), including targeted and untargeted metabolomics, to investigate complex plant interactions through chemical signals. We have already established platforms to analyze several phytochemical classes which are abundant in crop species, and we aim to expand the platforms to cover both primary and secondary plant metabolites. With our ‘‘Next level ecosystem interactomics facility MS-SIP interactomics’’ infrastructure, we build the platform to unravel the interactions at the molecular level.
