Microbiome Engineering: Synthetic Biology of Plant-Associated Microbiomes in Sustainable Agriculture

Mutualistic microbes associated with plants have enormous potential for economical and sustainable agriculture.There are two approaches to plant microbiome engineering: the bottom-up approach that involves isolating, engineering, reintroducing specific microbes, top-down synthetic ecology, using horizontal gene transfer a broad range of hosts in situ then phenotyping microbiome.Recent advances genome engineering tools, meta-omic computational genome-wide functional genomics can improve our ability engineer biocontrol, biofertilization, biostimulation, as well enhanced crop productivity yield.Various devices facilitate evaluation genetically modified before field studies.Robust biosafety, biosecurity, biocontainment strategies need be developed use environment. To support an ever-increasing population, modern agriculture faces numerous challenges pose major threats global food energy security. Plant-associated their many growth-promoting (PGP) traits, helping solve these challenges. However, results been variable, probably because poor colonization. Phytomicrobiome is emerging biology may offer ways alleviate this limitation. This review highlights recent both non-model bacteria microbiomes promote beneficial plant–microbe interactions, evaluate interactions. Biosafety, address environmental concerns also discussed. The United Nations estimates world population will 9.8 billion people by 2050 (https://population.un.org/wpp/). Agricultural must increase estimated 70% meet increasing demand food, feed, fiber, bioenergy (Global Productivity Initiative: https://globalagriculturalproductivity.org/). Because arable acreage unlikely grow [1.Bruinsma J. Crop production natural resource use.in: Bruinsma World Agriculture: Towards 2015/2030: An FAO Perspective. Earthscan Publications, 2003: 127-137Google Scholar], meeting requires achieving higher yields, currently attempted artificial fertilizers pesticides whose manufacture not sustainable. 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