Bacteria and fungi that are intimately associated with plants comprise the plant microbiome . Interest in the role of these organisms in plant health and defense grows as research reveals the importance in modulating responses to defense and abiotic stress. Determining key and conserved nodes within the gene networks underlying these effects in a diverse panel of hosts is expected to have implications for next generation biofuel crops and guide future engineering of flex-crops.
Proposer: Gregory Bonito, Michigan State University