Molecular Microbiology Research 2024, Vol.14, No.1, 31-38 http://microbescipublisher.com/index.php/mmr 34 2.2.2 Phosphorus solubilization Phosphorus is another essential nutrient for plant growth, and its availability in the soil can be limited. Certain microbes have the ability to solubilize phosphorus, making it more accessible to plants. For example, PGPR can solubilize phosphorus, facilitating its uptake by plants and promoting growth (Vejan et al., 2016). The functional assembly of root-associated microbial consortia has also been shown to improve phosphorus acquisition in crops like soybean, leading to increased yield (Wang et al., 2021). 2.2.3 Organic matter decomposition Microbial communities are involved in the decomposition of organic matter, which is essential for nutrient cycling and soil health. Effective microbes (EMs) such as select algal, fungal, bacterial, and yeast groups play a role in transforming organic matter into usable nutrients, enhancing soil water-holding capacity, and improving overall soil health (Naik et al., 2019). These processes contribute to the sustainability of agricultural systems by maintaining soil fertility and structure. 2.3 Environmental stress mitigation 2.3.1 Drought tolerance Microbial communities can enhance plant tolerance to environmental stresses such as drought. Beneficial microbes help plants cope with water scarcity by improving root architecture, increasing water uptake, and producing stress-related hormones. For instance, the application of SynComs has been shown to enhance crop resiliency against stressful conditions, including drought (Souza et al., 2020). These microbial communities can activate plant responses that improve water use efficiency and mitigate the adverse effects of drought. 2.3.2 Salinity and heavy metal resistance Salinity and heavy metal contamination are significant challenges in agriculture, and certain microbes can help plants tolerate these stresses. Effective microbes (EMs) secrete bioactive compounds like vitamins, hormones, and enzymes that stimulate plant growth and enhance tolerance to salinity and heavy metals (Naik et al., 2019). Additionally, the use of microbial inoculants can improve soil health and reduce the impact of these environmental stressors on crop productivity (Berg, 2009). In summary, synthetic microbial communities offer a promising approach to optimizing plant growth, nutrient cycling, and environmental stress mitigation in sustainable agriculture. By harnessing the beneficial traits of plant-associated microbes, these communities can enhance crop productivity and resilience, contributing to more sustainable and efficient agricultural systems. 3 Field Performance of Synthetic Microbial Communities 3.1 Laboratory vs. field conditions Synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) have shown promising results in controlled laboratory settings, where environmental variables can be tightly regulated. However, translating these successes to field conditions presents several challenges. Laboratory conditions often fail to replicate the complexity and variability of natural environments, leading to discrepancies in performance when SynComs are applied in the field (Souza et al., 2020; Trivedi et al., 2021; Shayanthan et al., 2022). One major challenge is the inconsistency in microbial colonization and persistence in the field. Factors such as soil type, climate, and interactions with native microbial communities can significantly influence the effectiveness of SynComs (Ke et al., 2020; Karkaria et al., 2021). Additionally, environmental stressors such as drought, temperature fluctuations, and nutrient availability can impact the stability and functionality of these communities (Choudhary and Mahadevan, 2022; Martins et al., 2023).
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