Abstract
Plant-associated microorganisms are involved in important functions related to growth, performance and health of their hosts. Understanding their modes of action is important for the design of promising microbial inoculants for sustainable agriculture. Plant-associated microorganisms are able to interact with their hosts and often exert specific functions toward potential pathogens; the underlying in vitro interactions are well studied. In contrast, in situ effects of inoculants, and especially their impact on the plant indigenous microbiome was mostly neglected so far. Recently, microbiome research has revolutionized our understanding of plants as coevolved holobionts but also of indigenous microbiome-inoculant interactions. Here we disentangle the effects of microbial inoculants on the indigenous plant microbiome and point out the following types of plant microbiome modulations: (i) transient microbiome shifts, (ii) stabilization or increase of microbial diversity, (iii) stabilization or increase of plant microbiome evenness, (iv) restoration of a dysbiosis/compensation or reduction of a pathogen-induced shift, (v) targeted shifts toward plant beneficial members of the indigenous microbiota, and (vi) suppression of potential pathogens. Therefore, we suggest microbiome modulations as novel and efficient mode of action for microbial inoculants that can also be mediated via the plant.
Highlights
Plants are naturally associated with specific microorganisms, which fulfill important functions, e.g., nutrient, mineral and vitamin supply, and protection against biotic and abiotic stress (Vandenkoornhuyse et al, 2015; Sánchez-Cañizares et al, 2017; Bakker et al, 2020)
Understanding their modes of action is important for the design of promising applications in the form of microbial inoculants for sustainable agriculture (Berg, 2009; Köhl et al, 2019)
The categories listed above might be important for regulation purposes but are still poorly defined, because inoculants that improve plant growth might enhance plant resistance toward pathogens
Summary
Plants are naturally associated with specific microorganisms, which fulfill important functions, e.g., nutrient, mineral and vitamin supply, and protection against biotic and abiotic stress (Vandenkoornhuyse et al, 2015; Sánchez-Cañizares et al, 2017; Bakker et al, 2020). Mode of Action Microbiome Shift agricultural products based on microorganisms are one of the fastest growing sectors in agronomy with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15–18% and a predicted value of over $10 billion United States dollars by 2025 for the whole biocontrol sector (DunhamTrimmer, 2017). Understanding their modes of action is important for the design of promising applications in the form of microbial inoculants for sustainable agriculture (Berg, 2009; Köhl et al, 2019). Interaction with the indigenous plant microbiome are often not considered at all
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