REVIEW ARTICLE The rhizosphere microbiome: significance of plant beneficial, plant pathogenic, and human pathogenic microorganisms Rodrigo Mendes1, Paolina Garbeva2 & Jos M. Raaijmakers3 1Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Embrapa Environment, Jaguariuna, Brazil; 2Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Royal Dutch Academy of Arts & Sciences (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands; and 3Laboratory of Phytopathology, Bacterial Ecology & Genomics, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/femsre/article-abstract/37/5/634/540803 by guest on 01 July 2019 Correspondence: Jos M. Raaijmakers, Abstract Laboratory of Phytopathology, Bacterial Ecology & Genomics, Wageningen University, Microbial communities play a pivotal role in the functioning of plants by influ- Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, encing their physiology and development. While many members of the rhizo- The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 317 483427; fax: sphere microbiome are beneficial to plant growth, also plant pathogenic +31 317 483412; microorganisms colonize the rhizosphere striving to break through the protec- e-mail:
[email protected] tive microbial shield and to overcome the innate plant defense mechanisms in order to cause disease. A third group of microorganisms that can be found in Received 27 January 2013; revised 22 May 2013; accepted 27 May 2013. Final version the rhizosphere are the true and opportunistic human pathogenic bacteria, published online 22 July 2013. which can be carried on or in plant tissue and may cause disease when intro- duced into debilitated humans. Although the importance of the rhizosphere DOI: 10.1111/1574-6976.12028 microbiome for plant growth has been widely recognized, for the vast majority of rhizosphere microorganisms no knowledge exists. To enhance plant growth Editor: Dieter Haas and health, it is essential to know which microorganism is present in the rhizo- sphere microbiome and what they are doing.