Review: Integrative framework for successful deployment of microbiomes in agriculture
Plant Science Research WeeklyThis review by Berruto and Demirer calls for an interdisciplinary approach at the interface of experimental and computational frameworks to address the long-standing challenge of field application of beneficial soil microbiomes. This challenge persists due to our limited understanding of the complex…
Every pair is special!
Plant Science Research WeeklyThe identification and characterization of resistosome complexes, formed by the oligomerization of intracellular nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptors (NLRs), has recently been a major focus in the field of plant immunity. Some NLR genes occur as head-to-head pairs encoding proteins that function…
Cross-enrichment of rhizobacteria improves iron nutrition during intercropping
Plant Science Research WeeklyIntercropping, the system of growing at least two crops simultaneously, increases crop productivity and ecological sustainability. An intercropping system of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and maize (Zea mays) has been previously found to improve the yield of peanut, specifically its iron nutrition and…
Silicate enhances rhizobacteria network complexity in sugarcane rhizosphere
Plant Science Research WeeklySilicon (Si) plays a significant role in helping plants to mitigate biotic and abiotic stress. Previous studies have shown that the application of Si also influences the microbial communities in the rhizosphere. However, the extent to which Si shapes the dynamics of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria…
Review. Mycorrhizal symbiosis: Genomics, ecology, and agricultural application
Plant Science Research WeeklyThis outstanding Tansley review by Martin and van der Heijden spans the scale of research on mycorrhizal symbiosis from molecules to ecosystems, and spans time from the earliest encroachment of plants and fungi onto land to the future applications of our understanding. This very comprehensive review…
An opportunistic plant pathogen disrupts leaf microbiome through secretion of plant cell wall degrading enzymes
Plant Science Research WeeklyHealthy plants possess a functional immune system, and their leaves harbor a structured microbial community, including opportunistic pathogens. These opportunistic pathogens can trigger plant diseases under conducive conditions, such as when plant immunity is compromised, and the microbial community…
Receptor-associated kinases control lipid provisioning in plant–fungal symbiosis
Plant Science Research WeeklyMost plants benefit from symbiotic associations with fungi, in which the fungi aid in nutrient update particularly of phosphate, and the plant returns the favor by supplying the fungi with lipids. Several but not all of the molecular players required for these important pathways have been identified.…
Review: CEP hormones at the nexus of nutrient acquisition and allocation, root development, and plant–microbe interactions
Plant Science Research WeeklyC-TERMINALLY ENCODED PEPTIDE (CEP) is a multigene family of peptide hormones originally described as systemic long-distance signals in response to nitrogen limitation. Over the years since the discovery of these peptide hormones, the literature on CEP biology has expanded the repertoire of developmental…
Shooting yourself in the foot: Obligate biotrophic pathogen induces protective microbiome in Arabidopsis
Plant Science Research WeeklyObligate plant pathogens cannot survive without their host plant. Therefore, understanding how the plant and its microbiome respond to the obligate biotrophs has real challenges in making sure that the response that is being monitored is not an artifact of the experimental step up. A recent study by…