Type: Article

MicroAgroBiome: a toolkit for exploring specialized metabolism and ecological interactions in rhizosphere microbiomes of cultivated crops

César Aguilar, Fernando Fontove-Herrera, Anton Pashkov, David A García-Estrada, Haydeé Contreras-Peruyero, Shaday Guerrero-Flores, Obed Ramírez-Sánchez, Nelly Sélem-Mojica;

Abstract:

The microbiome is crucial to agroecosystems, as it influences plant nutrition, resilience, and overall health. Recent advances in metagenomics have expanded our understanding of plant–microbe interactions, yet curated, high-resolution data capturing the global diversity of crop-associated microbiomes remain scarce. To fill this gap, we developed MicroAgroBiome, a publicly accessible platform that offers standardized taxonomic and functional data, mainly from the rhizosphere microbiomes of agriculturally important crops. The platform integrates 554 metagenomes from 28 crops and soil sample health, advancing microbiome-informed agricultural strategies. It also underscores Latin America’s growing leadership in agricultural microbiome research.