Featured Lendület Researcher: Gábor Feigl

Twenty-first-century agriculture is threatened by numerous, nearly invisible contaminants that were not previously present in the environment until recently. These are known as emerging anthropogenic (human-derived) pollutants. They include microplastics, nanoparticles, heavy metals and antibiotic residues. Their range continues to expand as an ever-increasing number of novel plant stressors emerge as a result of human activity. Preserving agricultural productivity in the future therefore depends to a considerable extent on understanding how plants respond to these new types of stressors and on developing ways to enhance their resilience to these new challenges.

“We have a fairly good understanding of the individual effects of traditional stressors, whereas we still know very little about the effects of new stressors, such as microplastics. Moreover, we know almost nothing about the combined effects of these stressors,” said Feigl. “Yet in reality, plants are almost always exposed to multiple stressors simultaneously through the soil, water and air. It is therefore important to investigate the consequences of these combined stressors as well.”

Feigl has been studying plant stress responses since his doctoral research, focusing on how various environmental factors influence plant physiology. He initially worked on heavy metals before turning his attention to nanoparticles and, more recently, microplastics. The Momentum project will build on this accumulated knowledge,

with the goal of understanding the combined effects of different stressors and enhancing plant resilience.

The research will investigate plants’ responses to stress while also exploring seed priming techniques designed to increase resistance to harmful environmental conditions. The theory behind seed priming is that exposing plants to mild stress during the earliest stages of germination can establish a form of physiological memory in them that later enhances their tolerance to stress.

The researchers will test several approaches to seed priming. For example, in previous studies by the research group, silicon dioxide has already proven effective in mitigating the stress caused by metal oxide nanoparticles. In addition, a range of microbial treatments will be tested, which are also expected to enhance plants’ stress tolerance. “Our research can be divided into three phases. The first phase, to put it simply, will take place in a controlled Petri dish system. In this system, under well-controlled conditions, we can examine how plants respond to anthropogenic stress factors and combinations thereof, and what physiological or molecular changes these induce,” continued the research group leader. “In the second phase, we will test seed treatment strategies to determine whether pre-treated seeds are indeed better able to withstand various combinations of stress and then we will try to optimise these treatments. In the third phase, we will move beyond the laboratory and bring the experiments closer to real soil conditions. At this stage, our attention will go beyond the plants themselves to include the soil microbiome.”

The first part of this third phase will initially be carried out in so-called rhizotrons. Rhizotrons are experimental structures in which plants can be grown against transparent walls, making it possible to observe the roots as they grow. This enables researchers to monitor, without disturbing the plants, how different stress factors alter root architecture. In addition, the group will also conduct microcosm experiments, which essentially involve growing plants in flower pots.

“Perhaps the most exciting new direction in plant biology is the study of plants’ responses to multifactorial stress and the enhancement of their resilience. Within this Momentum project, our primary goal is to identify biomarkers that can predict the effects of stress on plants. During the early stages of development, plants do not necessarily exhibit obvious morphological symptoms, yet it would be extremely valuable to detect the effects of stress at this early stage. Easily measurable biomarkers could help with this,” explained Feigl. “Based on the stress responses we identify, we will be able to design seed treatment strategies. We hope that by the end of the Momentum grant, we will have developed strategies that can later be translated into practical applications.

In this way, our work can contribute both to improving food security and fostering sustainable agriculture.”

“For me, the greatest value of the Momentum Programme is that it creates a real foundation for building a young, cohesive and inspiring research group,” said Feigl. “We want to create a community in which young researchers can flourish, work in a professionally supportive environment, and where we all feel that we are part of a shared mission. It’s also important to me that our research findings feed back into education: students are exposed to the latest methods and modern environmental challenges and have the opportunity to actively participate in the research itself. Science communication also plays a prominent role, as these issues affect us all. I would like the broader public to see why it’s important to understand how our plants respond to modern pollutants and what we can do to address these challenges.”