Uncovering root microbiome functions by advanced metagenomics
R. DE JONGE (1), Y. Van de Peer (2), C. Pieterse (1) (1) Utrecht University, Netherlands; (2) University of Ghent - VIB, Belgium

Despite crop protection measures, crop losses worldwide are estimated at 35% as a consequence of pathogen infection, herbivory, or shortage of nutrients and water. Whereas yields need to grow by minimally 70% in order to feed the ever-expanding human population, increasing fertilizer and pesticide application is undesired from socio-economic perspective. Traditionally, efforts to improve productivity are focussed on improving the plant itself or fight its antagonists, but there is increasing awareness that beneficial plant-associated microbes are essential plant partners with high potential for improving plant physiology in virtually every life process; a phenomenon that is analogous to the beneficial effect of microbiota in the human gut. The plant-root interface, or rhizosphere, is colonized by a vast number of microbes, referred to as the root microbiome. Whereas pathogenic microbes exploit the plant, many others are beneficial and help the plant to grow or overcome stress. Plants have evolved mechanisms to control their root microbiome, enriching for beneficial microbes depending on the condition. Various reports highlight such community changes, but mechanistic insight into associated microbial functions is lacking. Here we systematically mine the root microbiome for molecular functions that boost plant growth and health under stress. Using state-of-the-art chromosome confirmation capture (3C) metagenomics we construct genome sequences from the rhizosphere de novo, and perform functional annotation and transcriptomics to gain insight into active and potentially relevant genomic regions. The contribution of these regions towards plant growth and health are part of our ongoing investigation.

Abstract Number: P9-251
Session Type: Poster