P4: Incorporating root functional traits and microbiome into system resilience and health
The biggest challenge in application of rhizosphere microbiome: unstable functions, due to its poor survival and maintenance of colonization. We are exploring potential strategies to make the microbes more successful under the realistic field conditions.
In this case, we apply cereal maize as the crop model to understand the microbiome selection and adaptive features during domestication and local adaptation processes, meanwhile, explore the complex microbe-microbe interactions to establish nature-based stable synthetic community. Eventually, we wish to apply stable synthetic community tailored crop varieties via heterotic breeding.
Key publication:
- Hochholdinger F, Yu P (2024) Molecular concepts to explain heterosis. Trends Plant Sci 26: 1360-1385(24)00215-2.