Microbial inoculants and invasions: a call to action

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Ecology
• Risk Assessment

Background:

• Microbial inoculants are widely applied in agriculture, bioremediation, and medicine.
• A significant risk associated with microbial inoculants is their potential to cause invasive microbial outbreaks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a comprehensive roadmap for preventing microbial invasions originating from microbial inoculants.
• To establish a framework for developing mechanistic understandings, predictive models, and management strategies for microbial inoculant risks.

Main Methods:

• Distilling 17 guiding hypotheses to foster mechanistic understanding of microbial invasions.
• Highlighting data collection needs and qualitative approaches for developing predictive models.
• Emphasizing risk-benefit analysis for effective management strategies.

Main Results:

• The proposed roadmap integrates mechanistic insights, predictive modeling, and strategic management.
• Identified key areas for research and data collection to forecast invasion risks.
• Stressed the critical need for balancing the benefits of microbial inoculants against their potential risks.

Conclusions:

• A unified approach is crucial for building a robust research and management infrastructure for microbial inoculants.
• Proactive strategies are necessary to mitigate the risks of potentially catastrophic microbial invasions.
• This roadmap provides a pathway toward the safe and effective utilization of microbial inoculants.