Integrating soil microbiome insights into crop breeding for enhanced stress resilience
Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, 200284, Nigeria
Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, 200284, Nigeria
Department of Crop Protection and Biology, Ibadan, Oyo state, 200284, Nigeria
Department of Agricultural Extension, Ibadan, Oyo state, 200284, Nigeria
Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, 200284, Nigeria
Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, 200284, Nigeria
Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, 200284, Nigeria
Department of Agricultural Extension, Ibadan, Oyo state, 200284, Nigeria
Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, 200284, Nigeria
Abstract
This research explores the integration of soil microbiome knowledge into modern crop breeding techniques to enhance agricultural sustainability. The study examines how understanding soil microbial communities can inform breeding strategies that promote plant-microbe interactions, improve nutrient uptake, and increase crop resilience to environmental stresses.
Keywords
Introduction
The soil microbiome represents one of the most complex and diverse ecosystems on Earth, harboring billions of microorganisms that play crucial roles in plant health, nutrient cycling, and ecosystem functioning. As global food security challenges intensify due to climate change, population growth, and environmental degradation, there is an urgent need to develop more sustainable agricultural practices.
Traditional crop breeding approaches have primarily focused on plant genetics while largely overlooking the critical role of soil microorganisms in plant performance. However, recent advances in microbiome research have revealed the profound impact of plant-microbe interactions on crop productivity, stress tolerance, and nutritional quality.