title: Root-Root Interactions: Towards A Rhizosphere Framework.
abstract: Plant scientists have made great progress in understanding molecular mechanisms controlling root responses to nutrients of arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants under controlled conditions. Simultaneously, ecologists and agronomists have demonstrated that root-root interactions involve more than competition for nutrients. Here, we highlight the importance of both root exudates and soil microbes for root-root interactions, ubiquitous in natural and agricultural ecosystems. We argue that it is time to bring together the recent insights from both scientific disciplines to fully understand root functioning in the real world.
authors.affiliation: Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 47, 6700AA Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: Liesje.Mommer@wur.nl.
authors.forename: Liesje
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mommer
authors.affiliation: CSIRO-Agriculture, PO Box 1600, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kirkegaard
authors.affiliation: Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 47, 6700AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jasper
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Ruijven
mesh_terms: D064307:Microbiota; D008954:Models, Biological; D053147:Plant Exudates / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000502:physiology*; D058441:Rhizosphere
chemical_list: D053147:Plant Exudates
keywords: belowground interactions; plant competition; root exudates; soil microbes