Strigolactones as regulators of the rhizosphere microbiome

• Forschungsstelle: COST
• Projektnummer: C14.0132
• Projekttitel Englisch: Strigolactones as regulators of the rhizosphere microbiome

Schlüsselwörter (Englisch)

Strigolactones; rhizosphere microbiome; microbial communities; mycorrhiza; phosphorus availability

Forschungsprogramme (Englisch)

COST-Action FA1206 - Strigolactones: biological roles and applications

Kurzbeschreibung (Englisch)

Strigolactones (SLs) are newly discovered plant hormones that regulate plant morphology. SL also act as signaling compounds and initiate colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), beneficial soil fungi that form symbiotic associations with plant roots and enhance plant growth. However, plant roots not only associate with AMF, but interact with a wide range of other microbes, some of them beneficial for growth and plant health. These other microbes may also use SLs as chemical cues to colonize roots. However, until now, the effects of SLs on microbial communities associating with the plant roots, also called the rhizosphere microbiome, have not been investigated. This project, therefore, addresses a number of crucial issues concerning the significance of SL as regulators of the rhizosphere microbiome. Using next generation sequencing we will unravel the effects of SL on the assembly of the rhizosphere microbiome in a range of plant species, under different fertility conditions and using plant lines varying in SL exudation. This project is part of a larger research program consisting of three interrelated Swiss research projects that are part of the COST Action FA1206. In short, the three individual projects target strigolactone biosynthesis, strigolactone exudation and strigolactone effects on rhizosphere microbiota and are directed by the joint project partners Reinhardt, Borghi/Martinoia and Schlaeppi/vdHeijden, respectively.

Weitere Hinweise und Angaben (Englisch)

Full name of research-institution/enterprise: Agroscope Institut für Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften Pflanzen-Boden-Interaktionen

Partner und Internationale Organisationen (Englisch)

AT; BE; BG; HR; CZ; DK; FR; DE; EL; HU; IL; IT; NL; NO; PL; PT; RO; RS; SK; SI; ES; SE; UK; JP; AU; US

Abstract (Englisch)

Strigolactones (SLs) are newly discovered plant hormones that regulate plant morphology. SL also act as signaling compounds and initiate colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). AMF are beneficial soil fungi that form symbiotic associations with plant roots and enhance plant growth. Plants associate not only with AMF, but interact with a wide range of other microbes that can also have beneficial effects on plant growth. These other microbes that associate with plant roots (aka the rhizosphere microbiome) may also use SLs as chemical cues to colonize plant roots. To date, the role of SLs on the rhizosphere microbiome, have not been investigated. Using next generation sequencing we investigate the effects of SLs on the assembly of the rhizosphere microbiome in a range of plant species and using plant lines varying in SL exudation. The goal of this work is to learn whether SLs modulate the rhizosphere microbiome and whether we can identify microbial lineages other than AMF that use SLs as chemical attractant to colonize plant roots. This project is inovative because little is known how the root microbiome is manipulated by the host plant.

Datenbankreferenzen (Englisch)

Swiss Database: COST-DB of the State Secretariat for Education and Research Hallwylstrasse 4 CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland Tel. [phone] Swiss Project-Number: C14.0132