Rhizosphere bacterial interactions and impact on plant health

Abstract

The rhizosphere is a chemically complex environment that harbors a strikingly diverse microbial community. The past few decades have seen a rapid growth in the body of literature on plant–microbe–microbe interactions and plant health. Thus, the aim of this paper is to review current knowledge on plant–microbe–microbe (specifically bacteria) interactions in the rhizosphere and how these influence rhizosphere microbiomes and impact plant health. This article discusses (i) how the plant recruits beneficial rhizosphere bacteria and ii) how competition between rhizosphere bacteria and mechanisms/weapons employed in bacteria–bacteria competition shapes rhizosphere microbiome and in turn affects plant heath. The discussion mainly focuses on interference competition, characterized by production of specialized metabolites (antibacterial compounds) and exploitative competition where a bacterial strain restricts the competitor’s access to nutrients such as through secretion of siderophores that could allude to cooperation. Understanding mechanisms employed in bacteria–bacteria and plant–bacteria interactions could provide insights into how to manipulate microbiomes for improved agricultural outcomes.