Phytobiomes: Systems-Level Approaches to Improve Agricultural Productivity

To meet global demands for food, feed, and fiber in the face of a steadily changing climate and increased biotic and abiotic stressors, sustainable agricultural systems must improve considerably. These improvements will require a holistic, systems-level approach that integrates knowledge from a breadth of disciplines, including agronomy, pathology, physiology, genomics, genetics, breeding, physics, synthetic biology, modeling, meteorology, and engineering. While genetic and genomic research on plants has grown exponentially over the past 10 years, we still have a limited understanding of the “genotype by environment by management” interactions that determine agricultural productivity, quality, and the ability to withstand biotic and abiotic stressors. We need a better understanding of the interactions among plants, microorganisms, soils, and climate – in other words, a better understanding of the phytobiome. Speakers will highlight the breadth of phytobiome research, and the components necessary for achieving enhanced agricultural productivity. The session includes a moderated audience discussion.