Citrus Microbiome

Plants host rich and diverse microbial communities near, on, and inside their tissues. The microbial communities associated with plants are known as the plant microbiome or phytobiome, which is comprised of a diverse array of microorganisms such as bacteria, archaea, fungi, oomycetes, viruses, and nematodes that are associated with different plant habitats including the rhizosphere, phyllosphere, and endosphere. The plant microbiome affects plant health and productivity. Manipulation of plant microbiomes has the potential to interfere with plant disease development, promote plant production, and ease chemical inputs, leading to more sustainable agricultural practices. The citrus microbiome remains largely unexplored. The dramatic advances in cultivation-independent next generation sequencing techniques have provided valuable tools to investigate citrus microbiome, enabling thorough descriptions of these plant-associated microorganisms. We will report our recent progress of citrus microbiome and how diseases, e.g., citrus Huanglongbing and/or citrus blight affect citrus microbiome. The collaborative work by the International Citrus Microbiome (Phytobiome) Consortium will be discussed.