Plant microbial diversity is suggested as the key to future biocontrol and health trends

Abstract

The microbiome of plants plays a crucial role in both plant and ecosystem health. Rapid advances in multi-omics tools are dramatically increasing access to the plant microbiome and consequently to the identification of its links with diseases and to the control of those diseases. Recent insights reveal a close, often symbiotic relationship between microorganisms and plants. Microorganisms can stimulate germination and plant growth, prevent diseases, and promote stress resistance and general fitness. Plants and their associated microorganisms form a holobiont and have to be considered as co-evolved species assemblages consisting of bacterial, archaeal and diverse eukaryotic species. The beneficial interplay of the host and its microbiome is responsible for maintaining the health of the holobiont, while diseases are often correlated with microbial dysbioses. Microbial diversity was identified as a key factor in preventing diseases and can be implemented as a biomarker in plant protection strategies. Targeted and predictive biocontrol approaches are possible by developing microbiome-based solutions. Moreover, combined breeding and biocontrol strategies maintaining diversity and ecosystem health are required. The analysis of plant microbiome data has brought about a paradigm shift in our understanding of its role in health and disease and has substantial consequences for biocontrol and health issues.

Aerial Warfare: A Volatile Dialogue between the Plant Pathogen Verticillium longisporum and Its Antagonist Paenibacillus polymyxa

“…Although, this finding needs to be further investigated, it may also explain the plant-beneficial effect described for non-pathogenic Verticillium strains (França et al, 2013). Furthermore, it also supports the theory that microbial diversity is crucial for combating “microbiome diseases” such as Verticillium wilt because Verticillium species occur frequently in healthy plants and contribute to the functioning of the holo-biont (Berg et al, 2017). …”

Analysis of leaf microbiome composition of near‐isogenic maize lines differing in broad‐spectrum disease resistance

“…Another unresolved question that our data could not address was whether the introgressed QTL affected leaf microbiomes in ways other than changing relative abundance, for example by altering the total microbial load in leaves or by inducing changes in microbial gene expression and metabolic activity, which also could contribute to disease resistance (Chapelle et al ., ). Understanding these complex links between the plant microbiota, pathogens, host phenotype, and environment will be crucial for developing microbiome‐based solutions for sustainable disease control (Massart et al ., ; Berg et al ., ; Busby et al ., ).…”

Insights to plant–microbe interactions provide opportunities to improve resistance breeding against root diseases in grain legumes

“…They are a driving force in assembling microbial communities in their vicinity and shape the root-associated microbial community through the release of root exudates that can have stimulating or suppressive action on microbes (Bais, Weir, Perry, Gilroy, & Vivanco, 2006;Hartmann et al, 2009;Lakshmanan, 2015). Plants and their associate microbiome can be recognized as the holobiont, and it has been postulated that the beneficial interplay of the host plant and its microbiome is responsible for maintaining health, whereas diseases, as outlined above, are correlated with microbial dysbioses (Berg, Köberl, et al, 2017).…”