Mechanisms of root microbiome recruitment under drought stress in Solanaceae/tomato

Roland Berdaguer

Roland Berdaguer, MSc

PhD student at: Wageningen University & Research, Laboratory of Plant Physiology

Supervisors: Dr. Rumyana Karlova (WUR Plant Physiology), Prof. Christa Testerink (WUR Plant Physiology)

Overall aim: The aim of this project is to elucidate mechanisms by which plants of the Solanaceae family, and more specifically tomato, recruit soil microbes that promote the plants’ resilience to drought stress.

Key Objectives & Expected Results

Objectives:

To compare the root microbiome recruitment strategies under drought stress across different Solanaceae species.

To identify tomato genes responsible for the recruitment of drought resilience promoting microbes.

Expected Results:

A comprehensive multi-species comparison of drought-induced microbiome recruitment in the Solanaceae family.
A set of candidate genes responsible for the recruitment of drought resilience promoting soil microbes in tomato.
Functional validation of the candidate recruitment genes and further insight into the mechanisms of microbe recruitment and microbe-mediated drought alleviation in tomato.