Probiotics and Prebiotics

In response to the critical need for environmentally sustainable agriculture, alternatives to reduce chemical products are being sought actively. Several pioneering researches have been carried out to improve plant health using microbial-derived products. It is now clearly established that plant-associated microbial communities, phyto-microbiome, perform complex interactions with their host and carry out various plant beneficial activities including suppression of plant pathogens, promotion of plant growth and adaptive advantage to plants. In addition, beneficial microbes have profound effects on seed germination, seedling vigor, nutrition, plant health, and development of the innate immune system. It is noteworthy that the composition of phyto-microbiome is host-specific and related to its health status. Therefore, analysis of plant microbiome data provides advance understanding of its role in plant health and enhanced disease resistance by biological control of plant pathogens. Understanding the structural and functional responses of microbial communities goes far beyond characterizing their diversity. Multi-omics technologies allow much deeper insights into the function, structure, dynamics and significance of plantassociated microbial communities in both natural and manmade environments. This in turn will allow us to explore functional signaling molecules active within natural habitats, and thus better understand symbiotic relationships. We see a sustainable future for agriculture through restoring or retaining the health of the plants and those bio-based solutions including probiotics, synbiotics and biocontrol agents which could support the pathogen-suppressing ability of the plants’ native microbiome. Bioengineering of the phyto- microbiome enables scientists to affect plant health and presents a feasible strategy for future biocontrol trends in an eco-friendly way.