Cutin oligomers for prevention and treatment of plant diseases
Composition comprising isolated cutin polymer and/or cutin oligomers for use in prevention or treatment of plant disease, and a method for prevention or treatment of plant disease, comprising contacting the aerial parts of a plant, particularly leaves and fruit of a plant, with a composition comprising a cutin product consisting of isolated cutin polymer and/or an oligomeric hydrolyzation product of a cutin polymer.
BACKGROUND
Plant polyesters, namely cutin and suberin, originated around 450 million years ago during the colonization of land by plants. Their chemical makeup is highly intricate, consisting primarily of aliphatic compounds such as long-chain dicarboxylic acids, some containing mid-chain functionalities like epoxy groups, as well as a smaller aromatic domain. These compounds are interconnected through linear aliphatic or acylglycerol ester bonds. What sets plant polyesters apart is their role as functional components within the plant cell wall, serving various active functions such as solute and water transport regulation, UV protection, and defence against phytopathogens by modulating plant-microbe interactions. Despite similarities in quantity and composition, suberized and cutinized tissues formed under different conditions exhibit distinct barrier properties. Their abundance, chemical composition, and assembly vary across plant species, tissues, and developmental stages, significantly impacting the associated microbiome and the plant’s susceptibility to diseases. There is growing interest in utilizing these polymers as raw materials in biorefinery processes, particularly as a source of monomers for the production of bio-derived materials.
Our team has been investigating plant polyesters with a central hypothesis: preserving the native barrier properties requires maintaining the polymer chemistry and 3D architecture. Inspired by this concept, our research has led to the development of innovative green methods for recovering plant polyesters while preserving their molecular structure both ex situ and in planta. In particular, cutin can be obtained in large quantities (found abundantly in fruit peels, e.g. tomato) and through mild primary ester cleavage of cutin, we have produced cutin oligomers capable of triggering early responses resembling plant pattern-triggered immunity, or even exhibiting antibacterial properties.
Given the reported ability of plant polyester-derived structures to modulate the properties of the surrounding microbiota while eliciting early plant-triggered immunity responses, we anticipate their potential utility in designing novel strategies for controlling plant health.
TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW
Our technology focuses on developing bio-derived solutions consisting of plant polyester-derived structures to combat plant diseases, specifically targeting the creation of prophylactic formulations applicable to a wide range of crops to prevent major pests and diseases. The formulations work by activating the plants’ immune system, triggering a coordinated response to fend off multiple aggressors. By eliminating the need for chemical additives, our formulations also mitigate the negative impacts of agriculture practices on both food products and soil quality.
The formulations can be applied directly onto plants through spray application or aerial dispersion in open fields. Additionally, they offer flexibility in end-product usage, allowing for direct application to hydroponic or soil matrices for root uptake, similar to common plant fertilizers.
The health of crops is increasingly threatened by climate change, diseases, and traditional agricultural practices. Pests and diseases currently account for up to 40% of crop production losses worldwide, a figure expected to rise due to the emergence of new infectious agents linked to climate alterations. Conventional solutions for plant diseases rely heavily on chemical pesticides, which, while effective against pathogens, also contribute to the emergence of resistant microorganisms, soil pollution, and alterations in the organoleptic characteristics of fruits and vegetables, potentially compromising food security.
Each year, food processing companies generate tons of agro-residues, many of which lack profitable valorisation chains. Our technology repurposes these residues to produce biobased formulations for crop protection, serving as substitutes for existing chemical products. This approach aligns closely with the Sustainable Development Goals outlined by the United Nations, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, generating biotechnological solutions to enhance agro-productivity, and safeguarding life on earth and water.
In summary, our bio-derived solution offers a promising pathway towards sustainable agriculture, addressing the pressing challenges of plant disease management while promoting environmental stewardship and ensuring food security for future generations.
FURTHER DETAILS
The collected data that validates the immunostimulatory activity of our active molecules is published and can be found using the link https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erae254.
STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT
TRL3 – Currently, the technological development is at TRL3 with the efficacy proven in vitro. This means that we have produced immunostimulatory formulations capable to protect plants against infection caused by a necrotrophic fungus (in vivo infection assays).
BENEFITS & APPLICATIONS
Formulations of plant immune elicitors exists, for example synthetic elicitors (US9622472B2) or derived from yeast extracts (US8609084B2), but none focusing on plant polyesters-derived molecules. At this stage, no open-information on their development and commercialisation status exists.
The competitive advantages of our immunostimulatory preparations are:
- The bioactive compounds are obtained from agro-residues, hence following a circular economy approach.
- The bioactive compounds are prepared using green processes.
- The immunostimulatory response of these class of bioactives is distinctive from all known plant immune elicitors.
- The formulations can be designed to contain distinct classes of bioactive molecules, some acting as immune elicitors and others as antimicrobial agents.
Our solution fits on the market sector of Agricultural Biologicals, which includes bio-stimulants and biopesticides.
Figure 1: From the use of undervalue agro-industrial residues to isolate a highly preserved cutin polymer, to the isolation of cutin-derived bioactive molecules to strengthen plant immunity and make plants more prone to fight against pathogens. The aim is to reduce the use of chemical pesticides and by making plant more resistant to disease increase crop productivity.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
- PCT/EP2024/062419
OPPORTUNITY
Our aim is to escalate the technology readiness level to TRL6, reaching a prototype demonstration in relevant environment. For this we need to setup partnership with Development, Commercial and Licensing partners. This comprises a Technical stage for scale-up and product formulation; a Prototype development stage, where the aim is to correlate the properties of bioactive molecules, especially life-time, stability and activity kinetics, to define the operational range, what crops and what type/prophylactic regimen; and a Benchmarking and Validation stage, to apply our formulations in a marketed product.
NOVA Inventors
Cristina Pereira
Carlos Moreira
Rita Escórcio