Rhizomicrobial Composition in Relation to Bacterial Wilt Outbreak

The rhizomicrobial composition of plants consists of various types of microbes, playing important roles in the growth and development of plants. The mechanism by which each microbe obtains energy and nutrients for its survival and reproduction is inter-connected, preventing the entry and colonization of pathogenic microbes. The type of microbe found around the plant rhizosphere is determined by the plant genotype, plant species, and the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil. The chemical composition of the root exudates controls the type and kind of rhizomicrobials communities that will be present in the soil, which ranges from beneficial to pathogenic. Research has shown that beneficial microbes together with harmful ones are attracted to the plant rhizosphere by the help of root exudates. The beneficial microbiota protects the plant from being colonized by pathogenic microbiota whereas the pathogenic microbiota causes disease to the plants. Therefore, the types of microbiomes found in the rhizosphere of tomato plants and the mechanisms by which they suppress disease outbreak in a particular bacterial wilt in the tomato plants are discussed in this paper. Key words: Bacterial wilt, disease suppression, soil microbiota