Microbial dynamics and interactions in the spermosphere

• Published in: Annual review of phytopathology Vol. 42; no. 1; pp. 271 - 309
• Main Author: Nelson, E.B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Palo Alto, CA Annual Reviews 01.01.2004; Annual Reviews, Inc
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Bacteria - metabolism; Bacteria - pathogenicity; Biochemistry and biology; Biological and medical sciences; Biological control; Chemical, physicochemical, biochemical and biological properties; community ecology; Control; Disease control; Ecosystem; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; fungal diseases of plants; Fungal plant pathogens; Fungi - metabolism; Fungi - pathogenicity; Fusarium; Host-Parasite Interactions; literature reviews; Microbial ecology; Microbiology; Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Plant growth; plant pathogenic fungi; population ecology; Pythium; Rhizosphere; seed exudates; seed germination; seeds; Seeds - microbiology; Seeds - physiology; Soil; soil bacteria; soil fungi; Soil Microbiology; soil microorganisms; Soil science; species diversity; Plant pathology; Seeds; plant-microbe interactions; Microbiology; Plant pathogen; Pythium; Cultivated soil; Phycomycetes; seed microbiology; Review; Fungi; Fusarium; Bacteria; Fungi Imperfecti; Cultivated plant; Thallophyta; seed exudation; Microorganism interrelationships; Ecology; Seed; Soil biology; Population dynamics; Exudation; Spermatophyta; Microorganism; Soil plant relation; Plant microorganism relation; Spermosphere
• DOI: 10.1146/annurev.phyto.42.121603.131041
• ISSN: 0066-4286

▪ Abstract  The spermosphere represents a short-lived, rapidly changing, and microbiologically dynamic zone of soil surrounding a germinating seed. It is analogous to the rhizosphere, being established largely by the carbon compounds released into the soil once the seed begins to hydrate. These seed exudations drive the microbial activities that take place in the spermosphere, many of which can have long-lasting impacts on plant growth and development as well as on plant health. In this review, I discuss the nature of the spermosphere habitat and the factors that give rise to its character, with emphasis on the types of microbial activities in the spermosphere that have important implications for disease development and biological disease control. This review, which represents the first comprehensive synthesis of the literature on spermosphere biology, is meant to illustrate the unique nature of the spermosphere and how studies of interactions in this habitat may serve as useful experimental models for testing hypotheses about plant-microbe associations and microbial ecology.