What effect bacterial communities have on root growth
Together with a group of researchers the CEPLAS members published the results in Plant Communcations.The study reveals that the effects of bacterial community-produced volatiles on Arabidopsis growth and root architecture are an emergent property beyond the sum of effects by individual strains. Correlation between composition of the volatile bouquets and growth promotion identified several plant growth promoting volatiles. Further analysis showed that exposure to bacterial volatiles results in dynamic alteration of metabolite profiles of the roots and root exudates, ultimately altering colonization of the roots by the bacteria.