Carbohydrate signalling during plant root microbiota establishment

Intensive agricultural systems can secure the necessary crop yields for food supply of a growing human population. However, they rely heavily on resources that have negative impact on ecosystems. Research and exploitation of biologicals emerged as a sustainable alternative, but this approach is currently less efficient and therefore needs to be revisited to identify suitable alternatives. The current study combines genetics, metagenomics and (meta)transcriptomics strategies across two legumes and two cereal crops to determine the role of exopolysaccharide signalling for plant colonisation by endophytic members of Burkholderiales and Rhizobiales. This is used as genetic framework to identify bacterial pathways associated with recognition of bacterial exopolysaccharides. Together this will establish a toolbox for accessing the compatibility of soil microbes and evaluate microbial communities prior to their development as biologicals with beneficial effect on plant hosts.