The rhizosphere is the narrow region of soil surrounding plant roots. Roots extract nutrients and water from their soil environment and secrete exudates to the rhizosphere. The community of microorganisms in the rhizosphere and roots contributes to plant growth and health by resource capturing, suppression of pathogens and by enhancing disease resistance. We perform tissue/cell type-specific transcriptome and microbiome analyses assisted by tissue separation and laser capture microdissection (LCM) to understand the influence of root hairs and lateral roots formation on root-microbe interaction in maize.

Annika Kortz, DFG funding; Verena Bresgen, SPP2089 funding