On the morning of October 12, 2025, Professor Qian Guoliang from Nanjing Agricultural University was invited by the School of Life Science to deliver an academic lecture titled “The Proposal and Practice of the ‘Contact-Dependent Regulation’ Concept in Biocontrol”. The lecture was chaired by Niu Qiuhong, Dean of the School of Life Science, and attended by faculty and student representatives from related fields.

Dean Niu Qiuhong introduced Professor Qian’s research achievements in the field of plant disease biocontrol. Professor Qian first explained the traditional mechanism where biocontrol bacteria suppress pathogens by secreting antimicrobial metabolites into the surrounding environment. He then innovatively proposed a new “contact-dependent regulation” biocontrol concept that does not rely on traditional antimicrobial substances. For example, biocontrol bacteria (such as Lysobacter enzymogenes) can inject effector proteins into pathogenic microorganisms through the contact-dependent Type VI Secretion System (T6SS), thereby inhibiting or killing the pathogens. The proposal of this new biocontrol concept provides novel ideas and directions for agricultural disease control, which is expected to reduce reliance on antimicrobial substances, lower risks of environmental residues and antimicrobial resistance, and also lay the foundation for developing a new generation of efficient biopesticides based on the “contact-dependent killing” principle. Following the lecture, faculty and students engaged in in-depth discussions on topics including “green control of plant diseases” and “development of new, highly effective biopesticides”, and created a strong academic atmosphere on site.

Professor Qian’s academic lecture not only provided a rare learning opportunity for our university’s faculty and students and broadened their academic perspectives, but also strengthened inter-university research collaboration ties, injecting new momentum into innovative research in the field of plant disease biocontrol at NYNU. Our university will continue to build high-end academic exchange platforms to support faculty and students in achieving breakthrough progress at the frontiers of life science.

Written & Photo by: Yang Shuqiong

Source: NYNU Academic Activities (Chinese)

https://www.nynu.edu.cn/info/1048/30566.htm