Crop domestication, selective breeding, and the seed microbiome: a call for further research.

Abstract

Plants have been domesticated for thousands of years and subject to human-derived selection for desirable traits such as improved yield, disease tolerance, nutrient content, and palatability. Advancements in high-throughput DNA sequencing advancements have allowed researchers to study the diversity of the seed microbiome. We reviewed the literature and identified articles that investigated the impact of domestication on seed microbiome diversity of various plant species. The resultant analysis suggests that the impacts of domestication and selective breeding on seed microbiome diversity are variable and inconclusive due to the low number of independent studies per species and the limited diversity of domesticated species examined. Based upon our analysis we suggest a need for standardized methodology and bioinformatic analysis to accompany further research on seed development of domesticated crop species. Understanding the mechanisms that influence plant-microbe interactions, such as microbial colonization during seed development, and their applications in sustainable crop improvement is the next step towards innovative and scalable advances in agricultural practice.