Poster Presentation The 16th Australian Peptide Conference 2025

The power of peptides for efficient crop protection   (#129)

Annalise Taylor 1 2 3 , Srinivas Belide 1 , Louise Thatcher 1 , Sumit Sharma 2 , Michelle Colgrave 3
  1. CSIRO Black Mountain, Canberra, ACT, Australia
  2. Nufarm Australia, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
  3. Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA, Australia

The development of new safe, effective and sustainable methods of crop protection is essential to continue to meet market demands of a growing world population. However, current challenges include environmental changes, increased pesticide resistance and health concerns. Biopesticides including peptides, provide an alternative solution to synthetic agrichemicals, however delivery into cells, their efficacy and stability remain challenging. Here, we investigate and demonstrate in-vitro the potential for peptides to improve agrichemical delivery and efficacy. Using high throughput image based antifungal screening, we demonstrate spores and mycelia of the plant fungal pathogen Verticillium dahalie were inhibited by peptides. Overall, this shows that the use of peptides opens possibilities to engineer improved or novel peptides as carriers for enhanced performance and improving mortality of pests and diseases in cropping systems.