Molecular Microbiology Research 2024, Vol.14, No.1, 31-38 http://microbescipublisher.com/index.php/mmr 31 Perspectives Open Access Optimizing Synthetic Microbial Communities for Sustainable Agriculture: Design, Functionality, and Field Performance LizhenHan College of Life Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China Corresponding email: lzhan1@gzu.edu.cn Molecular Microbiology Research, 2024, Vol.14, No.1 doi: 10.5376/mmr.2024.14.0004 Received: 16 Dec., 2023 Accepted: 18 Jan., 2024 Published: 02 Feb., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Han, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Han L.Z., 2024, Optimizing synthetic microbial communities for sustainable agriculture: design, functionality, and field performance, Molecular Microbiology Research, 14(1): 31-38 (doi: 10.5376/mmr.2024.14.0004) Abstract The application of synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) in sustainable agriculture has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance crop performance and resilience. This systematic review explores the design, functionality, and field performance of SynComs, focusing on their potential to optimize plant-microbe interactions for improved agricultural outcomes. SynComs are engineered consortia of microorganisms selected for their beneficial traits, such as nutrient acquisition, disease suppression, and stress tolerance. Recent advances in microbial ecology, machine learning, and high-throughput phenotyping have facilitated the identification and assembly of effective SynComs tailored to specific crops and environmental conditions. Studies have demonstrated that SynComs can significantly improve plant health, nutrient efficiency, and yield under various stressors, including nutrient deficiencies and pathogen attacks. However, challenges remain in ensuring the stability and reproducibility of SynComs in field conditions. This review synthesizes current knowledge on SynCom design and application, highlighting successful case studies and identifying gaps for future research. By leveraging the synergistic interactions within SynComs, sustainable agriculture can achieve more consistent and resilient crop production. Keywords Synthetic microbial communities; Sustainable agriculture; Plant-microbe interactions; Crop resilience; Nutrient acquisition; Disease suppression; stress tolerance; Microbial ecology; Machine learning; High-throughput phenotyping Sustainable agriculture is a critical component in addressing the global challenges of food security, environmental degradation, and climate change. As the global population continues to grow, the demand for food, feed, and fiber increases, necessitating agricultural practices that are both productive and environmentally sustainable. Traditional agricultural practices, heavily reliant on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, have led to soil degradation, water pollution, and loss of biodiversity, thereby threatening long-term agricultural productivity and ecosystem health (Singh et al., 2016; Ray et al., 2020). Therefore, there is an urgent need to adopt sustainable agricultural practices that enhance crop productivity while preserving natural resources and ecosystem services. Microbial communities, particularly those associated with plants, play a pivotal role in sustainable agriculture. These communities, known as the plant microbiome, include bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that interact with plants to promote growth, enhance nutrient uptake, and improve resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses (Qiu et al, 2019; Trivedi et al., 2021). The plant microbiome contributes to soil health, nutrient cycling, and plant resilience, making it a valuable asset in sustainable agricultural practices. By harnessing the beneficial traits of these microbial communities, it is possible to reduce the dependency on chemical inputs and improve crop performance under various environmental conditions (Souza et al., 2020; Coker et al., 2022). Synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) are artificially designed consortia of microorganisms that are assembled to perform specific functions beneficial to plants and agriculture. Unlike traditional single-strain inoculants, SynComs are designed to mimic the complexity and functionality of natural microbial communities, thereby providing more stable and effective solutions for enhancing crop productivity and sustainability (Souza et al., 2020; Sai et al., 2022). SynComs can be tailored to possess traits such as nutrient acquisition, drought tolerance, and pathogen resistance, making them a promising tool for sustainable agriculture (Ke et al., 2020;
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