Microstructure effect on plant-environment interaction – a biomimetic approach

The field of biomimicry looks at nature for inspiration to find solution, particularly structural solutions, to human problems. In our lab we use biomimetics to better understand nature, and to mimic dynamic interactions in a synthetic system, using plant-pathogen interaction as our model system.

Plant-pathogen interaction is composed of a physical component (due to the plant surface microstructure) and a chemical/molecular one (due to molecular signals expressed on the surface). Studying this interaction using the natural plant, makes it impossible to separate those two components as they are entangled together. However, using a biomimicking synthetic system enables us to study the structural effect separately from the chemical one.

We are replicating tomato leaf microstructure on synthetic polymeric surfaces, studying microorganism response to structural features. Additionally, we are using different polymeric systems to mimic root surface microstructure and test how it affects the pathogeny of root nematodes and pathogenic bacteria. We are also harnessing the ability of these microorganisms to degrade the natural system to develop interacting surfaces that can be degraded in a controlled fashion by them. We see this method as a powerful tool in both better understanding nature and using it to develop interacting dynamic synthetic systems.