The plant microbiome
The key to healthy plants is healthy microbiomes. Anthony King meets the crop scientists hoping to boost yields by managing microorganisms
Over the past decade the huge variety of these bacteria inside a single plant has also come to light thanks to the wide availability of DNA sequencing technology. We now know that a microbial zoo – the equivalent of the human microbiome – exists inside many different plant and tree species. A number of ‘good’ bacteria have now been linked to heightened resilience and yield in the face of drought, heat stress, salinity and plant disease. Inoculating crops with these could not just improve yields but also fight off disease without the need for chemicals or genetic modification.