The impact of filamentous plant pathogens on the host microbiota

When a pathogen invades a plant, it encounters a diverse microbiota with some members contributing to the health and growth of the plant host. So far, the relevance of interactions between pathogens and the plant microbiota are poorly understood; however, new lines of evidence suggest that pathogens play an important role in shaping the microbiome of their host during invasion. This review aims to summarize recent findings that document changes in microbial community composition during the invasion of filamentous pathogens in plant tissues. We explore the known mechanisms of interaction between plant pathogens and the host microbiota that underlie these changes, particularly the pathogen-encoded traits that are produced to target specific microbes. Moreover, we discuss the limitations of current strategies and shed light on new perspectives to study the complex interaction networks between filamentous pathogens and the plant microbiome.