The rhizosphere microbiome and plant health

Abstract

The diversity of microbes associated with plant roots is enormous, in the order of tens of thousands of species. This complex plant-associated microbial community, also referred to as the second genome of the plant, is crucial for plant health. Recent advances in plant-microbe interactions research revealed that plants are able to shape their rhizosphere microbiome, as evidenced by the fact that different plant species host specific microbial communities when grown on the same soil. In this review, we discuss evidence that upon pathogen or insect attack, plants are able to recruit protective microorganisms, and enhance microbial activity to suppress pathogens in the rhizosphere. A comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms that govern selection and activity of microbial communities by plant roots will provide new opportunities to increase crop production.

Biological control using invertebrates and microorganisms: plenty of new opportunities

“…In such an approach, we are convinced that ABC can be applied much more than it is today, but we also know it will not solve all pest problems. A seriously neglected form of biological control, conservation biological control, should be the basis of most crop protection programs by providing sufficient invertebrate biological control agents and undisturbed buffering microbiomes in soils and plants when pests invade an agro-ecosystem (Gruys 1982;Blommers 1994;Berendsen et al 2012). Delaying or preventing sprays will result in the reduction of secondary pests that arise after killing natural enemies of pest organisms.…”

Endophytic Microbiota Associated with the Root Tips and Leaves of Baccharis dracunculifolia

“…Both Chao1 and ACE estimators indicated higher taxonomic richness in the roots compared to the leaves, which may be due to the fact that the surface and the interior of the leaves have water and resource limitations, high UV exposure and wide temperature shifts [ 16,32 ]. In contrast, the rhizosphere harbors a high density of soil bacteria that compete for plantderived nutrients [ 33 ]. Some of these soil bacteria are capable of penetrating the root, which is the main location of entry of bacterial endophytes ([ 12 ].…”

Root exudate ofSolanum tuberosumis enriched in galactose-containing molecules and impacts the growth ofPectobacterium atrosepticum

“…The root system plays an important role in shaping soilborne microbe communities by secreting a wide range of compounds that stimulate and/or inhibit microorganism proliferation, thereby contributing to the maintenance of whole plant health (Wu and Van Etten, 2004;Berendsen et al, 2012). It is now recognized that the mechanisms involved in plant defence responses are organ-specific (Balmer et al, 2013).…”