Microbiome-assisted plant breeding: integrating host-microbiome interactions into crop improvement

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Microbiology
• Genetics

Background:

• Conventional breeding reduced crop genomic and microbial diversity, limiting resilience.
• Plants are holobionts, with microbiomes regulating crucial traits like nutrient acquisition and immunity.
• Domestication syndrome has negatively impacted crop adaptability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce Microbiome-Assisted Plant Breeding (MAPB) as a complementary paradigm.
• To leverage microbial partners for enhanced crop performance and resilience.
• To address limitations of traditional breeding by incorporating microbiome interactions.

Main Methods:

• Investigating seed microbiome inheritance and root-exudate-mediated microbial recruitment.
• Identifying microbiome-associated quantitative trait loci (QTLs).
• Developing and utilizing synthetic microbial communities (SynComs).

Main Results:

• Microbial communities significantly influence plant physiology, immunity, and yield.
• Beneficial microbes can restore lost traits and enhance crop performance.
• Seeds are key for vertical transmission of microbiota and breeding integration.

Conclusions:

• MAPB offers a novel strategy for developing climate-resilient, resource-efficient crops.
• Integrating microbial inheritance and holobiont performance is crucial for future breeding.
• MAPB complements traditional breeding for sustainable agriculture.