Insights into plant–microbe interactions in the rhizosphere to promote sustainable agriculture in the new crops era

Abstract

Microbes accompany plants throughout their entire lifecycles, from seeds to ripe fruits. Plant–microbe interactions have long been a focus of research in many subdisciplines, leading to thousands of articles that demonstrate the importance of these interactions in agriculture. Here, we review previous findings and discuss future directions and prospects for the application of plant–microbe interactions. These interactions are delineated from multiple perspectives: community composition, interaction pathways, influencing external and endogenous factors, methods and techniques for analysis, and potential targeted applications in agriculture. We propose that exploitation and utilization of core beneficial microbes, artificial microbial community assembly, and in situ regulation of microbiome function will become essential components of agricultural production in the future.