Microbiome, Probiotics & Gut Nutrition

Harnessing phyto Microbiome signaling for Microbiome engineering

Higher plants have evolved intimate, complex, subtle, and relatively constant relationships with a suite of microbes, the phyto-Microbiome. This intercommunication dictates aspects of plant development, architecture, and productivity. Understanding this signaling via biochemical, genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics studies have added valuable knowledge regarding the development of effective, low-cost, eco-friendly crop inputs that reduce fossil fuel intense inputs. This knowledge underpins phyto Microbiome engineering: manipulating the beneficial consortia that manufacture signals/products that improve the ability of the plant-phyto Microbiome community to deal with various soil and climatic conditions, leading to enhanced overall crop plant productivity. The goal of Microbiome engineering is to manipulate the Microbiome toward a certain type of community that will optimize plant functions of interest. For instance, in crop production, the goal is to reduce disease susceptibility, increase nutrient availability increase abiotic stress tolerance and increase crop yields.