|
Investigating the
tripartite interaction of plants with pathogenic and beneficial
microbes.
Plants
live in their environment not in isolation, but in a dynamic
interaction with millions of other microorganisms. These
multi-partite interactions can be broadly categorized as beneficial
or antagonistic. Survival of all organisms including plants in their
natural ecosystems depends on delicate balances of these interactions. Many host plant, and biotic and abiotic factors as shown in
the Figure below affect these interactions. In our lab, we are focusing on understating the microbiomes of Florida-native plants. With these investigations, we hope to enhance our
understanding of the yet-to-discovere microbiome of plants and to
utilize that knowledge for developing sustainable and eco-friendly
crop production systems.
|