Genomics of plant, soil, and microbe interaction

Abstract

Plants are exposed to a wide variety of microbes in the environment. Owing to the diverse range of microbes, a complex set of molecular mechanisms mediate the plant-microbe interactions. These interactions, consequently, may be presented in the form of beneficial or harmful effects on plants. On receiving a specific stimulation from the host, certain plant-associated microbes improve plant growth and development. They colonize the host plant and either contribute to nitrogen fixation process or suppress the invasion of pathogenic microbes. Moreover, they also enhance the acquisition of nutrients by the plant based on the mycorrhizal association. Plants also release a variety of secondary metabolites that disturb the microbial growth and availability of nutrition to these pathogenic microbes. The interaction between plants and microbes is mediated by very specific signaling molecules that allow only the compatible bacteria to colonize the plant. Albeit the specificity, a number of pathogens have evolved mechanisms to overtake plant defense resulting in plant diseases. The study of genomics of plant-microbe interaction and the signaling pathways involved in the process offer an interesting avenue for the improvement of biological and agricultural outcomes. Research in this field can help in improving the background knowledge on plant tolerance to various biotic stress factors. Moreover, understanding the genomics of plant interaction may benefit crop productivity by exploiting the signaling pathways and designing suitable interventional strategies. The current chapter provides an account of the essential microbial genes and pathways involved in plant-microbe interaction.