When plants and their microbes are not in sync, the results can be disastrous
Many of us have heard about inflammatory bowel disease, a debilitating condition that is associated with an abnormal collection of microbes in the human gut – known as the gut microbiome. My lab recently found that, like humans, plants can also develop this condition, known as dysbiosis, with severe consequences.
As part of this study, my colleagues and I discovered that some genes and processes involved in controlling dysbiosis in plants may be similar to those in humans. Discovery of dysbiosis in the plant kingdom opens new possibilities for stimulating innovation in plant health and global food security.
Read the full story on The Conversation.
