Evaluating Mechanisms of Soil Microbiome Suppression of Striga Infection in Sorghum

Tamera Taylor, Jiregna Daksa, Mahdere Z. Shimels, Desalegn W. Etalo, Benjamin Thiombiano, Aimee Walmsey, Alexander J. Chen, Harro J. Bouwmeester, Jos M. Raaijmakers, Siobhan M. Brady, Dorota Kawa*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

The root parasitic weed Striga hermonthica has a devastating effect on sorghum and other cereal crops in Sub-Saharan Africa. Available Striga management strategies are rarely sufficient or not widely accessible or affordable. Identification of soil- or plant-associated microorganisms that interfere in the Striga infection cycle holds potential for development of complementary biological control measures. Such inoculants should be preferably based on microbes native to the regions of their application. We developed a method to assess microbiome-based soil suppressiveness to Striga with a minimal amount of field-collected soil. We previously used this method to identify the mechanisms of microbe-mediated suppression of Striga infection and to test individual microbial strains. Here, we present protocols to assess the functional potential of the soil microbiome and individual bacterial taxa that adversely affect Striga parasitism in sorghum via three major known suppression mechanisms. These methods can be further extended to other Striga hosts and other root parasitic weeds.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere5058
Number of pages15
JournalBio-protocol
Volume14
Issue number17
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 5 Sept 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright: © 2024 The Authors

Funding

This research was supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Seattle, WA, USA) via grant OPP1082853 \u201CRSM Systems Biology for Sorghum.\u201D This protocol is used in: Cell Reports (2024), DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113971 [1].

FundersFunder number
Royal Society of Medicine
Bill and Melinda Gates FoundationOPP1082853

    Keywords

    • Aerenchyma
    • Haustorium-inducing factors
    • Microbiome
    • Sorghum
    • Striga hermonthica
    • Suberin
    • Suppressive soils

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