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Article

Plant-associated microbiomes in arid lands: diversity, ecology and biotechnological potential

SOUSSI Asma, FERJANI Raoudha, MARASCO Ramona, GUESMI Amel, CHERIF Hanène, ROLLI Eleonora, MAPELLI Francesca, OUZARI Hadda-Imen, DAFFONCHIO Daniele, CHERIF Ameur, 2015

Plant and Soil, DOI 10.1007/s11104-015-2650-y, 0000, Août 2015

Résumé

Background Aridification is a worldwide serious threat directly affecting agriculture and crop production. In arid and desert areas, it has been found that microbial diversity is huge, built of microorganisms able to cope with the environmental harsh conditions by developing adaptation strategies. Plants growing in arid lands or regions facing prolonged abiotic stresses such as water limitation and salt accumulation have also developed specific physiological and molecular stress responses allowing them to thrive under normally unfavorable conditions.

Scope Under such extreme selection pressures, special root-associated bacterial assemblages, endowed with capabilities of plant growth promotion (PGP) and extremophile traits, are selected by the plants. In this review, we provide a general overview on the microbial diversity in arid lands and deserts versus specific microbial assemblages associated with plants. The ecological drivers that shape this diversity, how plant-associated microbiomes are selected, and their biotechnological potential are discussed.

Conclusions Selection and recruitment of the plant associated bacterial assemblages is mediated by the combination of the bio-pedo-agroclimatic conditions and the plant species or varieties.Diversity and functional redundancy of these associated PGPR makes them very active in supporting plant improvement, health and resistance to drought, salt and related stresses. Implementing proper biotechnological applications of the arid and desertadapted PGPR constitute the challenge to be raised.