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Review article2017Peer reviewedOpen access

Perspectives and Challenges of Microbial Application for Crop Improvement

Timmusk, Salme; Behers, Lawrence; Muthoni, Julia; Muraya, Anthony; Aronsson, Anne-Charlotte

Abstract

Global population increases and climate change pose a challenge to worldwide crop production. There is a need to intensify agricultural production in a sustainable manner and to find solutions to combat abiotic stress, pathogens and pests. Plants are associated with complex microbiomes, which have an ability to promote plant growth and stress tolerance, support plant nutrition and antagonize plant pathogens. The integration of beneficial plant-microbe and microbiome interactions may represent a promising sustainable solution to improve agricultural production. The widespread commercial use of the plant beneficial microorganisms will require a number of issues addressed. Systems approach using microscale information technology for microbiome metabolic reconstruction has potential to advance the microbial reproducible application under natural conditions.

Keywords

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR); biofertilizers; biopecticides; commercial application; systems biology

Published in

Frontiers in Plant Science
2017, Volume: 8, article number: 49

    Associated SLU-program

    SLU Plant Protection Network

    Sustainable Development Goals

    Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
    End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
    Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

    UKÄ Subject classification

    Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
    Climate Research
    Plant Biotechnology

    Publication identifier

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2017.00049

    Permanent link to this page (URI)

    https://res.slu.se/id/publ/78495