# Microbiome and plant relationship: a symbiosis against phytopathogens

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how plant-friendly microbes can protect crops from diseases in an eco-friendly way, offering a sustainable alternative to harmful chemicals.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive review of innovative microbiome-based strategies for plant protection and their potential for sustainable agriculture.

## Key findings

- Beneficial microbes enhance plant immunity through multiple mechanisms like induced resistance and antimicrobial production.
- Synthetic microbial consortia and bio-fertilizers show promise in improving disease suppression and soil health.
- Omics tools are advancing microbiome research, but challenges remain in scaling up these solutions.

## Abstract

Phytopathogens are among the major biotic stressors limiting global crop productivity. Conventional control methods, including chemical pesticides and fungicides, have contributed to pathogen resistance, environmental pollution, and soil degradation, highlighting the need for sustainable alternatives. This review highlights innovative, eco-friendly strategies that exploit plant–microbe interactions to enhance plant health and resilience across diverse agroecosystems. Rhizosphere-, phyllosphere-, and endosphere-associated microbial assemblages contribute to plant immune enhancement through induced systemic resistance, competitive nutrient exclusion, antimicrobial metabolite production, and mycoparasitism. The review emphasizes the functional roles of beneficial microbial communities and the emerging applications of synthetic consortia and bio-organic fertilizers to improving disease suppression, nutrient use efficiency, and soil fertility. In addition, recent progress in omics-based tools and microbial formulation technologies is discussed as a key driver for translating laboratory findings into practical field applications. However, large-scale implementation remains challenged by high research costs, limited metagenomic infrastructure, and the lack of standardized microbial formulations across environments. Strengthening institutional capacity, integrating omics-based tools, and improving technology transfer will be essential to unlock the full potential of microbiome-based pathogen control. Overall, this review highlights microbiome-based interventions as a sustainable alternative to chemical-intensive plant protection strategies under changing environmental conditions.