Plant Microbiome: The Unseen Lifeforms Helping Crops Cope with Biotic and Abiotic Stress

Abstract

Microbial diversity or microbiomes have been studied with the goal of understanding their ecological functions and it has become a key determinant on the health, physiology, growth, fitness and yield of crop plants. Manipulation of plant microbiome offers potential to reduce the incidence of plant diseases, increase agricultural productivity, reduce use of chemical inputs and also reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. The term microbiome not only refers to the microorganisms but also their activity in the particular habitat. We highlight the role of microbiomes and their function in the different ecological niches and the scope of manipulating the same in a desirable way.