The rhizosphere has been called “one of the most complex ecosystems on earth” because it is a hotspot for interactions among millions of microbial cells. Root microbiomes—sometimes referred to as the “second genome”—are increasingly identified as a mechanism that allows hosts to expand their repertoire in dealing with a range of ecological challenges.

But how do host plants control the growth & benefits derived from their microbial partners?

We studied the strategies legumes have evolved to mediate conflict & cooperation with their nitrogen fixing rhizobial symbionts. And wow, legumes have evolved everything from suffocation and hormonal control to targeted cell death and sanctioning to keep their symbiont partners in check.

Read our newest at Nature Microbiology.

Downloadable here: Host-imposed control mechanisms in legume–rhizobia symbiosis

by Toby Kiers