Plant genotype-microbiome engineering as nature-based solution (NbS) for regeneration of stressed agriculture: A review

Abstract

Plant microbiomes associated with different plant parts are designated as (rhizosphere), inside (endosphere), and leaf surface (phyllosphere) microbiomes. Recent research investigations demonstrated that plant-microbial interactions in nature are continuously evolving. The efficient diverse microbial communities contribute beneficial activities to the plants, including nutrient acquisition, pathogen control, stress tolerance, and potential remediation of toxic emerging pollutants, heavy metals, and xenobiotic compounds. The composition of the plant microbiome is influenced by various factors, including plant genotype, root exudates, soil type, and environmental conditions. Plant genotype can play a significant role in shaping the rhizosphere microbiome, as different plant species and varieties produce different types and amounts of root exudates. In recent decades, indiscriminate agro-chemicals supply spontaneously disturbs fertility equilibrium, microbial biomass, plant-microbiome-symbiosis and affect crop productivity. There is a growing interest in understanding and utilizing the plant microbiome for sustainable agriculture. By engineering microbiome, we can potentially improve plant growth, nutrient uptake, and stress tolerance, which can lead to higher crop yields and reduced reliance on chemical inputs. Application of advanced genomic engineering tools as Zinc Finger Nuclease (ZFNs), Transcription Activator Like Effector Nuclease pathways (TALENs) and Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas-mediated genome editing (GE) would be beneficial in plant genotype and microbiome engineering. This review explores new and advanced information on plant genotype-microbiome engineering as a nature-based solution (NbS) to ensure for sustainable crop health and regeneration of stressed agriculture.