Back to our roots: exploring the role of root morphology as a mediator of beneficial plant–microbe interactions

Herms, Courtney Horn; Hennessy, Rosanna C.; Bak, Friedhelm; Dresbøll, Dorte Bodin; Nicolaisen, Mette Haubjerg

doi:10.1111/1462-2920.15926

Cited by 79 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 86 publications

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“…overall length, density, branching and biomass) and root morphology ( i.e . diameter, surface area and root hairs) can affect the plant‐associated microbial communities and the recruitment of beneficial microorganisms (Herms et al ., 2022). For instance, thinner root diameter recruits a more diverse rhizosphere community in different plants, including arboreal and herbaceous species, which can often result in a positive impact on plant health and productivity (Bardgett and van der Putten, 2014; Saleem et al ., 2019; Herms et al ., 2022).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rootstock–scion combination contributes to shape diversity and composition of microbial communities associated with grapevine root system

Marasco

Alturkey

Fusi

et al. 2022

Environmental Microbiology

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Summary To alleviate biotic and abiotic stresses and enhance fruit yield, many crops are cultivated in the form of grafted plants, in which the shoot (scion) and root (rootstock) systems of different species are joined together. Because (i) the plant species determines the microbial recruitment from the soil to the root and (ii) both scion and rootstock impact the physiology, morphology and biochemistry of the grafted plant, it can be expected that their different combinations should affect the recruitment and assembly of plant microbiome. To test our hypothesis, we investigated at a field scale the bacterial and fungal communities associated with the root system of seven grapevine rootstock–scion combinations cultivated across 10 different vineyards. Following the soil type, which resulted in the main determinant of the grapevine root microbial community diversity, the rootstock–scion combination resulted more important than the two components taken alone. Notably, the microbiome differences among the rootstock–scion combinations were mainly dictated by the changes in the relative abundance of microbiome members rather than by their presence/absence. These results reveal that the microbiome of grafted grapevine root systems is largely influenced by the combination of rootstock and scion, which affects the microbial diversity uptaken from soil.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rootstock–scion combination contributes to shape diversity and composition of microbial communities associated with grapevine root system

Marasco

Alturkey

Fusi

et al. 2022

Environmental Microbiology

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“…Many reports show the root phenotypic changes in response to microbial inoculations, especially under limiting environmental and sparse nutritional conditions [ 47 , 48 , 49 ]. For microbial community assessment, the space is documented as a critical factor.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Reduced root diameter means less surface area for bacterial colonization for an individual root. The plant increases the surface area of its roots to recruit more microbes [ 49 ], which results in better long-term metabolic conditions for growth.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploiting the Potential of Bioreactors for Creating Spatial Organization in the Soil Microbiome: A Strategy for Increasing Sustainable Agricultural Practices

et al. 2022

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Industrial production of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers and their crop application have caused considerable environmental impacts. Some eco-friendly alternatives try to solve them but raise some restrictions. We tested a novel method to produce a nitrogen bioinoculant by enriching a soil microbial community in bioreactors supplying N2 by air pumping. The biomass enriched with diazotrophic bacteria was diluted and applied to N-depleted and sterilized soil of tomato plants. We estimated microbial composition and diversity by 16S rRNA metabarcoding from soil and bioreactors at different run times and during plant uprooting. Bioreactors promoted the N-fixing microbial community and revealed a hided diversity. One hundred twenty-four (124) operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were assigned to bacteria with a greater Shannon diversity during the reactor’s steady state. A total of 753 OTUs were found in the rhizospheres with higher biodiversity when the lowest concentration of bacteria was applied. The apparent bacterial abundance in the batch and continuous bioreactors suggested a more specific functional ecological organization. We demonstrate the usefulness of bioreactors to evidence hidden diversity in the soil when it passes through bioreactors. By obtaining the same growth of inoculated plants and the control with chemical synthesis fertilizers, we evidence the potential of the methodology that we have called directed bioprospecting to grow a complex nitrogen-fixing microbial community. The simplicity of the reactor’s operation makes its application promising for developing countries with low technological progress.

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“…Reciprocally, soil microbes can trigger important adjustments in root development, physiology and chemistry [ 69 ] ( Figure 1 ), creating a dynamic interplay that impact on plant nutrition and health modulating the growth-defence trade-off [ 70 ]. It is evident that, over the time, breeding programs aimed at improving productive features, often not considering the root traits as an important aspect to be characterized and associated to beneficial and functional microbiome structures [ 71 ].…”

Section: Root Traits To Improve Microbe-mediated Climate Resiliencementioning

confidence: 99%

Microbe-assisted crop improvement: a sustainable weapon to restore holobiont functionality and resilience

Sandrini

Moffa

Riccardo

et al. 2022

Horticulture Research

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In the past years, breeding programs have been mainly addressed on pushing the commercial features, forgetting important traits, such as those related to environmental stress resilience, that are instead present in wild relatives. Among the traits neglected by breeding processes, the ability to recruit beneficial microorganisms that recently is receiving a growing attention due to its potentiality. In this context, this review will provide a spotlight on critical issues of the anthropocentric point of view that, until now, has characterized the selection of elite plant genotypes. Its effects on the plant-microbiome interactions, and the possibility to develop novel strategies mediated by the exploitation of beneficial root-microbe interactions, will be discussed. More sustainable microbial-assisted strategies might in fact foster the green revolution and the achievement of a more sustainable agriculture in a climatic change scenario.

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Back to our roots: exploring the role of root morphology as a mediator of beneficial plant–microbe interactions

Cited by 79 publications

References 86 publications

Rootstock–scion combination contributes to shape diversity and composition of microbial communities associated with grapevine root system

Rootstock–scion combination contributes to shape diversity and composition of microbial communities associated with grapevine root system

Exploiting the Potential of Bioreactors for Creating Spatial Organization in the Soil Microbiome: A Strategy for Increasing Sustainable Agricultural Practices

Microbe-assisted crop improvement: a sustainable weapon to restore holobiont functionality and resilience

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