Resident rhizosphere microbiome’s ecological dynamics and conservation: Towards achieving the envisioned Sustainable Development Goals, a review

Abstract

The role of the rhizosphere microbiome remain crucial to human existence and can therefore not be over-looked, particularly with respect to plant growth, development and yield. The rhizosphere is the ‘home’ for several genes, some of which are responsible for the various trait and features exhibited by plants. Numerous microbes have been identified to inhabit the rhizosphere, some of which are the proteobacteria, nitrogen fixing bacteria, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, mycorrhizal and mycoparasitic fungi. Likewise, chemical compounds such as amino acids (crystathionine and homoserine), which inhibits nematodes, carbohydrates (fructose), which enhance the growth of microorganisms, and sterols (sitosterol), which regulate plant growth, reside in the plant rhizosphere. Several factors contributes to the existence and survival of these microbes, one being good agricultural practices, as some farming techniques negatively affects the soil microbial content. This study therefore focused on the agricultural and health importance of the soil organisms, as well as the various techniques that can be employed to maintain the rhizosphere microbiome, despite the rise and intensification of various harmful land use activities. This will enable a better understanding of the soil rhizosphere conservation, restoration and sustainable use, specifically of degraded land. This will avoid depleting or alternating the soil microbial content while aiming to ensure a healthy ecosystem, biodiversity, maximal crop productivity, food security and all round sustainability, as targeted by the United Nation’s Sustainable Developments Goals.

Keywords

• Food security
• Land use activity
• Soil microbial community
• Soil degradation
• Sustainable agriculture