Enhancing plant resilience to pathogens through strategic breeding: Harnessing beneficial bacteria from the rhizosphere for progeny protection

Abstract

Plant breeding strategies hold promising potential for enhancing plant-microbe interactions in the rhizosphere, thereby promoting disease resistance and sustainable agriculture. This review explores the role of plant breeding in shaping rhizosphere bacterial communities and modulating chemical crosstalk for disease resistance. It highlights the potential of strategic breeding to manipulate root exudation profiles and recruit beneficial bacteria that can confer resistance to pathogens. Additionally, the concept of vertical transmission of microbes from the rhizosphere to seeds is discussed, emphasizing its importance in transferring beneficial microbiota across plant generations. Studies demonstrate successful transmission of bacterial communities from the rhizosphere to seeds, with notable effects on plant health and disease suppression. Leveraging this knowledge, innovative approaches integrating desired rhizosphere microbiomes into plant breeding programs offer promising solutions for developing resilient plant varieties. These strategies involve transplanting rhizosphere soil from healthy plants to facilitate interactions between the genotype and microbiome, resulting in enhanced disease resistance. Therefore, strategic breeding for optimizing plant-microbe interactions presents a sustainable approach to improving agricultural productivity and resilience against pathogens.