Communications in Agricultural and Applied Biological Sciences

The fact that micro-organisms can exchange electrons with solid materials and thus can generate electrical currents which can be used for various purposes has generated a hype of interest in the last decade. Even more striking is the fact that growing plants can transfer their metabolites to micro-organisms and thus, be it indirectly, also produce measurable electrical currents. This phenomenon constitutes the discussion platform of this symposium. The concept of creating an intensive interphase between a higher plant and its surrounding microbiota is not new. Techniques to empower plants with rhizospheres or mycorrhiza which are beneficially interacting with the plant have been the subject of lots of fundamental and applied studies. Yet, active management of the root microbiome by means of explicit electrical systems is very novel. Clearly, it is too early to relate the current explorations to applications in the nearby future. Nevertheless, It must be clear that the research not only should deal with blue sky questions about the microbial ecology as such, but should indeed aim to translate the findings as much as possible to become step stones for potential practical implementations. The overall picture is very powerful: the plant as a sustainable capturing device of light, and the energy transferred via the microbes to generate ’an added value’. We need clever thinking and a dose of serendipity to make this work properly. Moreover, although the potentials are enormous, we should not be afraid to be honest about the actual state of the art and rate of progress. Overall, we have good confidence that this symposium will be a challenging ground for direct and lateral constructive interactions. W. Verstraete LabMET, Ghent University