Imtiaz Ahmad Represents Microbiome Center at Plant and Animal Genome Conference

Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad, a postdoctral researcher working in Mary Barbercheck's lab, represented Penn State's Microbiome Center last month at the annual Plant and Animal Genome Conference in San Diego.

Imtiaz Ahmad

Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad, a postdoctral researcher working in Mary Barbercheck's lab, represented Penn State's Microbiome Center in January at the annual Plant and Animal Genome Conference in San Diego.

He presented at the "Exploring Phytobiomes" workshop organized by the Phytobiomes Alliance, a non-profit coalition partners from of industry, academia, and government that "facilitates and coordinates international efforts toward expanding phytobiomes research in order to accelerate the sustainable production of food, feed, and fiber for food security." Dr. Ahmad gave a talk titled "Mighty Microbes: The Tri-Trophic Interactions of Endophytic Metarhizium in Maize."

"We, as a group, are trying to understand beneficial plant-microbe interactions in organic cropping systems," said Ahmad. "We are trying to understand how soil microbes—specifically beneficial fungi—can get into the body of the plant, can live as plant endophytes, and then promote their growth—help the plants grow better."

The fungi that Ahmad is working with not only has a mutualistic relationship with its plant hosts, it plays aggressive defense: infecting and killing attacking insects, it then re-purposes them as food for the plant. "Recently there was a study published that reported that after killing the insect pest through its mycelial and root network, it translocates nutrients from the killed insect to the body of the plant."

"The research that I presented was the work that we did in the greenhouse, under controlled conditions. We are trying to further understand those mechanisms in lieu of other stresses, biotic and abiotic. It was a great experience to represent the Microbiome Center. I'm very honored."

The Microbiome Center provided support for for Dr. Ahmad's travel to San Diego.

"We have been supporting students and postdocs to present at this meeting since 2017," said Microbiome Center Director Carolee Bull. "Some were recruited for positions at the meeting. Dr. Ahmad’s research tells a fascinating story of life and death that is a good showcase for Penn State transdisciplinary research."