Open AccessThe plant microbiome: The dark and dirty secrets of plant growth
Author(s) -
Tkacz Andrzej,
Poole Philip
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plants, people, planet
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2572-2611
DOI - 10.1002/ppp3.10167
Subject(s) - rhizosphere , microbiome , biology , microcosm , ecology , bulk soil , plant growth , microorganism , soil water , botany , soil organic matter , bacteria , bioinformatics , genetics
Terrestrial life depends on a thin layer of top‐soil measuring no more than a few cm to around a meter. This nutrient rich zone supports the growth of plants by providing minerals and water they need for growth and photosynthesis. It is in the dark underworld of soil that plant roots interact with perhaps the most complex microcosm of organisms, from bacteria, archaea and fungi to single‐celled animals as well as multicellular animals such as nematodes and earth worms. This soil microbiome profoundly alters plant growth and in turn depends on root secretion and is shaped by plant immunity.