Plant-Microbe Ecology: Interactions of Plants and Symbiotic Microbial Communities

Abstract

Plant community dynamics are driven by the microbial mediation of soil resource par- titioning and sharing by the inhibition of other host symbionts or sharing the broadly specific symbiotic fungi. The plant phenotype and ecology can be affected by the impact of the symbiotic microbes on the environment and competition for soil resources. The advent of modern biotechnology has made it easy to study plant-microbe interac- tions further. Current genomic technologies applied to natural and artificial systems have shown that the plant genotype has a small but significant effect on the microbial com- munity composition of the phyllosphere, the rhizosphere, and endophytic microbes. In this chapter, we discuss the relationship between the host and its symbiotic microbial community and the role of plant metabolites and root exudates such as organic acids, amino acids, sugars and antimicrobial compounds in shaping a specific rhizosphere community, attracting plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) colonization on the plant roots and inhibiting or attracting soil-borne pathogens. In addition, we also review and introduce the functionality of plant symbiotic microbes for increasing the abiotic and biotic stress tolerance of the host. An understanding of the ecosystem function of plant and symbiotic microbes will guide efforts to improve agriculture practices.