Global research on the plant microbiome has enhanced our understanding of the complex interactions between plants and microorganisms. The structure and functions of plant-associated microorganisms, as well as the genetic, biochemical, physical and metabolic factors that influence the beneficial traits of plant microbiota have also been intensively studied. Harnessing the plant microbiome has led to the development of various microbial applications to improve crop productivity in the face of a range of challenges, for example, climate change, abiotic and biotic stresses, and declining soil properties. Microorganisms, particularly nitrogen-fixing rhizobia as well as mycorrhizae and biocontrol agents, have been applied for decades to improve plant nutrition and health. Still, there are limitations regarding efficacy and consistency under field conditions. Also, the wealth of expanding knowledge on microbiome diversity, functions and interactions represents a huge source of information to exploit for new types of application. In this Review, we explore plant microbiome functions, mechanisms, assembly and types of interaction, and discuss current applications and their pitfalls. Furthermore, we elaborate on how the latest findings in plant microbiome research may lead to the development of new or more advanced applications. Finally, we discuss research gaps to fully leverage microbiome functions for sustainable plant production.

全球对植物微生物组的研究增强了我们对植物和微生物之间复杂相互作用的理解。植物相关微生物的结构和功能，以及影响植物微生物群有益特性的遗传、生化、物理和代谢因素也得到了深入研究。利用植物微生物组导致了各种微生物应用的发展，以在面临一系列挑战时提高作物生产力，例如气候变化、非生物和生物胁迫以及土壤特性下降。几十年来，微生物，特别是固氮根瘤菌以及菌根和生物防治剂，已被用于改善植物营养和健康。尽管如此，在田间条件下的有效性和一致性仍然存在限制。此外，关于微生物组多样性、功能和相互作用的丰富知识代表了可用于新型应用的巨大信息来源。在这篇综述中，我们探讨了植物微生物组的功能、机制、组装和相互作用类型，并讨论了当前的应用及其陷阱。此外，我们详细阐述了植物微生物组研究的最新发现如何导致新的或更高级应用的开发。最后，我们讨论了充分利用微生物组功能进行可持续植物生产的研究差距。