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Plant-Microbe Interactions
Positive and negative interactions take place not only between microbes but also between microbes and plants. The rhizosphere is a zone of predominantly commensal and mutualistic interactions between plants and microbes. Ecto- and endomycorrhizal fungi provide plants with mineral nutrients and water, receiving photosynthates in return. Under harsh conditions, this mutualistic association can be essential for plant survival. The associations of Dinitrogen-fixing bacteria with certain plants provide essential combined nitrogen for crops and ecosystems. The aerial surfaces of plants provide habitats for largely commensal microbes. On the negative side, certain viruses, bacteria, and fungi cause plant diseases that can result in great economic losses and even severe food shortages.