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Globally, over a third of all crop yields are lost due to abiotic and biotic stresses such as drought, flooding, heat stress, pests and diseases. Increasingly it is understood that microbes from the soil environment as well as those actively colonizing plants can improve plant nutrient acquisition and afford some measure of protection against biotic and abiotic stresses. Thus, future efforts to improve crop productivity while reducing chemical fertilizers and pesticides will undoubtedly benefit from harnessing favorable plant-microbe interactions.

The three synergistic CCRP research efforts, MATRIX, INTERACT, and InRoot, collectively represent an unparalleled opportunity to deeply interrogate the plant-microbe communities of an important commodity crop (wheat) and a model crop (Lotus japonicus).