Crafting plant root metabolome for improved microbe-assisted stress resilience.

Plants and microbes coinhabit the earth and coevolve during environmental changes over time. Root metabolites are the key to mediating the dynamic association of plants with microbes, yet the underlying functions and mechanisms behind which remain largely illusive. Knowledge in metabolite-mediated altering of root microbiota in response to environmental stress will open avenues for engineering root microbiota for improved plant stress resistance and health. Here, we synthesize recent advances connecting environmental stresses, root metabolome and microbiota and propose integrated synthetic biology-based strategies for tuning plant root metabolome in situ for microbe-assisted stress resistance, offering potential solutions to combat climate change. Current limitations, challenges and perspectives for engineering plant root metabolome for modulating microbiota were collectively discussed.