Plant – Microbes Interactions
Authors/Creators
- 1. Department of Microbiology, Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal College (Autonomous), Sivakasi 626124, Tamil Nadu, India
Description
Plant microbe interactions play a crucial role in maintaining plant health, enhancing productivity, and supporting sustainable agriculture. These interactions involve diverse microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and archaea that may establish beneficial, neutral, or harmful relationships with plants. Beneficial associations, including nitrogen-fixing rhizobia in legumes and mycorrhizal fungi in plant roots, significantly improve nutrient uptake, soil fertility, and plant growth. Communication between plants and microbes is mediated through signalling molecules such as flavonoids, strigolactones, and Nod factors, which facilitate colonization and symbiosis. The rhizosphere and phyllosphere serve as important habitats for microbial communities that influence plant physiology and ecosystem stability. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) contribute to plant development through nutrient solubilization, phytohormone production, antibiotic secretion, and induction of systemic resistance against pathogens. Microbial enzymes such as chitinase and glucanase also help suppress soil-borne diseases by degrading pathogen cell walls. Furthermore, microbes improve soil structure, support nitrogen fixation, enhance stress tolerance, and assist plants in overcoming abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, heat, and cold. Applications of plant–microbe interactions include biofertilizers, biocontrol agents, phytoremediation, and carbon sequestration, all of which contribute to environmentally sustainable agricultural practices. Despite their benefits, several challenges affect plant microbe interactions, including urbanization, climate change, pollution, and shifting environmental conditions. These factors alter microbial diversity and plant responses, potentially reducing agricultural productivity. Understanding the mechanisms underlying plant–microbe relationships and developing microbial-based technologies can provide innovative solutions for future food security, disease management, and ecosystem sustainability. Overall, harnessing beneficial plant microbiomes represents a promising strategy for resilient and sustainable agricultural development.
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References
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