Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 17, 2025

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity
Published on: March 13, 2014
Natural variation of the holobiont for sustainable agroecosystems
Wolfram Weckwerth1, Palak Chaturvedi2, Arindam Ghatak3
1Molecular Systems Biology Lab (MOSYS), Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Vienna Metabolomics Center (VIME), University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Environment and Climate Research Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Research Network Health in Society, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Abstract:
Plant evolution is largely driven by plant-microbe interactions, yet the ecology of the plant holobiont is not well understood at a molecular level. However, these relationships hold diverse benefits for sustainable agriculture as nature-based solutions (NbS). We propose a workflow to enhance understanding of natural variation in the plant-soil microbiome holobiont, addressing key challenges like growth promotion, stress resilience, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), biological nitrification inhibition (BNI), healthy soils, and improving fertilization practices towards a more natural agroecosystem. We discuss a panome-wide association study (PWAS) approach to discover and incorporate novel genetic diversity from exotic germplasm into breeding populations. Ultimately, understanding natural variation of the holobiont in agroecosystems will contribute to the development of novel climate-resilient crop varieties for food security.
More Related Videos
07:19Compost Microcosms as Microbially Diverse, Natural-like Environments for Microbiome Research in Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: September 13, 2022
09:23JenaTron - An Experimental Approach to Study the Effects of Plant History and Soil History on Grassland Ecosystem Functioning
Published on: March 21, 2025
Related Concept Videos
Ecological Niches
Environmental Applications of Microorganisms
The Soil Ecosystem
What is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity and Human Values
Bioremediation