Researcher(s)
- Raven McIntosh, Biological Sciences, Saint Augustine University
Faculty Mentor(s)
- Harsh Bais, Plant and Soil Sciences Department, University of Delaware
Abstract
Our knowledge of the rhizosphere’s beneficial microbes for plants is increasing rapidly due to an intense desire to use them in agriculture. Although there has been progress in our understanding of the functional significance of root microbiomes, we are still discovering how the network of microorganisms confers advantageous features on plants. Furthermore, important but incomplete knowledge exists regarding the importance of microbe-derived compounds in the rhizosphere, their effect on plant-microbe associations, and responses to stressors. Root colonization is influenced by the interactions of soil bacteria with plants and other microbes, with the potential for chemical warfare over nutrients. Additionally, no substance is known about the relationships between benign microbes and plant roots. We can create more practical rhizobacterial uses in the field with continuous study. Through the creation of our own Synthetic Community (SYNCOM) within the lab, we can observe how microbes interact not just with the plant, but each other as well. In here, we show how two members of SYNCOM interact with each to impact its colonization on the root surface. We will do this via analysis of zones of antagonism on plates and changes in colonization with microscopy.