SOIL MICROBES CONFER A WIDE RANGE OF BENEFITS TO THEIR PLANT HOSTS, INCLUDING ENHANCED SURVIVAL, GROWTH AND PROTECTION AGAINST ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS. YET, AGRICULTURAL SCIENTISTS HAVE STRUGGLED TO EXPLOIT THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF MICROBIOMES FOR CROP PRODUCTION. THIS IS PARTLY BECAUSE EXISTING STUDIES OVERWHELMINGLY FOCUS ON SINGLE MICROBIAL STRAINS THAT CANNOT REPLICATE THE PLANT HEALTH BENEFITS ORIGINATING FROM COMMUNITY-WIDE INTERACTIONS AMONG THOUSANDS OF CO-OCCURRING TAXA IN THE RHIZOSPHERE. TARGETED SELECTION OF WHOLE MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES BASED ON DESIRED ABOVEGROUND PLANT PHENOTYPES (E.G. GROWTH, PEST & DISEASE RESISTANCE) IS A PROMISING ALTERNATIVE METHODOLOGY PREVIOUSLY APPLIED IN MODEL SYSTEMS (E.G. ARABIDOPSIS). TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, THIS INNOVATIVE APPROACH HAS NEVER BEEN APPLIED TO ENGINEERING AGRICULTURAL MICROBIOMES THAT ENHANCE CROP PROTECTION. WE PROPOSE USE OF WILD TOMATO TO SIMULTANEOUSLY SELECT ON RHIZOSPHERE MICROBIOTA PRODUCING TWO PHENOTYPIC EXTREMES--RESISTANCE AND SUSCEPTIBILITY TO FOLIAR INSECT PESTS. USING A COMBINATION OF GENOMICS, TRANSCRIPTOMICS AND TARGETED ASSAYS MEASURING CHANGES IN PLANT RESISTANCE (E.G. PHYTOHORMONES, CHEMICAL DEFENSES) WE WILL FUNCTIONALLY CHARACTERIZE INSECT-SUPPRESSIVE AND -ENHANCING RHIZOSPHERE MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES. WE WILL THEN TRANSFER INSECT-SUPPRESSIVE MICROBIOMES INTO NOVEL CROPS (COMMERCIAL TOMATO, EGGPLANT, POTATO, PEPPER) AND DIVERSE SOIL TYPES (PRAIRIE, AGRICULTURAL, STERILE) TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH EFFECTS ON HERBIVORY ARE REPRODUCIBLE AND WHETHER ENHANCED PEST PROTECTION IMPOSES COSTS ON PLANT GROWTH AND YIELD. WE EXPECT TO IDENTIFY RHIZOSPHERE TAXA CONTRIBUTING TO CROP PROTECTION AND VULNERABILITY TO INSECT ATTACKERS, UNDERSTAND THE FUNCTIONAL BASIS OF MICROBE-MEDIATED PEST SUPPRESSION AND IDENTIFY HOW THESE BENEFICIAL MICROBIOMES CAN BE DEPLOYED ACROSS DIVERSE CROP PLANTS AND SOIL TYPES.

Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Investigators