www.hu-srb-ipa.com
PHANETRI
Development of an in field, ecologically safe, continuously
detoxifying technology for producing bio-vegetables
Background:
Organic farming is the form of agriculture that
relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green
manure, compost and biological pest control to
maintain soil productivity and control pests on a
farm. The use of manufactured fertilizers and
pesticides, plant growth regulators such as
hormones, livestock antibiotics, food additives, and
genetically modified organisms is excluded or
strictly limited.
Organic agricultural methods are internationally
regulated and legally enforced by many nations,
based in large part on the standards set by the
International Federation of Organic Agriculture
Movements (IFOAM), an international umbrella
organization for organic farming organizations
established in 1972.
Efficient technologies are needed in order to
convert land previously used in common
agricultural practice and prepare it for organic
management practice.
The organic farmlands are exposed to dangerous
xenobiotics through distinct pollution drift effects
such as wind driven pesticide containing dusts and
xenobiotic containing rains. From these compounds
the most outstanding problems are related to the
following two groups of pollutants: POP (Persistent
Organic Pollutants) and PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic
Hydrocarbons) which are recognized as being
directly toxic to biota. Even if present in small
concentrations they are dangerous as all have the
quality of being progressively accumulated higher
up the food chain. Their relative toxic/carcinogenic
potencies are compound specific. The major
concern is centered on their possible role in
carcinogenic, immunological and reproductive
effects but more recently concern has also been
expressed over their possible harmful effects on
human development. Therefore a continuously
detoxifying technology is needed in the course of
organic production.
Project partners:
Regional Knowledge Center for Environment and
Nanotechnology and Department of Microbiology,
Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged
Közép fasor 52., H-6726 Szeged, Hungary
Contact: Prof. Dr. Csaba Vágvölgyi
E mail: csaba@bio.u-szeged.hu
Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Educons
University, Sremska Kamenica
21208 Sremska Kamenica
Vojvodne Putnika street bb, Serbia
Contact: Prof. Dejana Pankovic
E-mail: dejana.pankovic@educons.edu.rs
Objectives:
The aim of the project is the development of an in
field, ecologically safe, continuously detoxifying
technology for producing bio vegetables. Our
planned product will contain two components:
1. A polyphenol oxidase secreting Trichoderma strain
with mycoparasitic capabilities. Other important
properties of the strain: cellulase, xylanase,
esterase,
protease,
chitinase,
phosphatase
activities. Capability to elicit the SAR system in
plants if applied in their rhizosphere.
2. A Phanerochaete chrysosporium strain with
excellent soil tolerance capabilities, able to degrade
a wide spectrum of pollutants with its ligninperoxidase, manganese-peroxidase and laccase
enzymes. This extracellular oxidase system highly
helps the polymerization of humic materials in the
soil which bind the toxic heavy metals (cadmium,
chromium and mercury), in this way lower the
soluble amount of these toxic metals, consequently
lower the amount which can be taken up by the
vegetable plant.
Activities and impact:
 A special fungal strain collection containing
distinct Phanerochaete and Trichoderma strains
isolated from soil samples will be established
 The best peroxidase and laccase producer
fungi will be identified in this collection with
molecular methods.
 The xenobiotic-degrading capabilities of the
fungal strains in this collection will be known.
 The antagonism spectra of the best
Trichoderma strains against phytopathogenic
fungi will be explored.
 The detailed detoxifying activities of the best
Phanerochaete and Trichoderma strains on
distinct POP and PAH compounds will be
uncovered.
 The Systemic Acquired Resistance eliciting
capabilities of the best Trichoderma strains will
be explored in tomato and lettuce plants.
 Natural distribution of Trichoderma is
determined by soil type and plant type due to
the complex interaction of the fungus, soil,
plants and other soil microorganisms. Therefore
the efficiency of antifungal formulation based
on best Phanerochaete and Trichoderma strains
will be investigated in different soil types and
their effects on non-target organisms will be
carried out.
 The efficiency of organic farming technologies
will be improved.
This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The content of the document is the sole responsibility of the
Regional Knowledge Center for Environment and Nanotechnologyand the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Szeged, Hungary
and the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Educons University, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the
position of the European Union and/or the Managing Authority.