Unveiling the potato cultivars with microbiome interactive traits for sustainable agricultural production

Root traits significantly shape rhizosphere microbiomes, yet their impact on microbes is often overlooked in plant breeding programs. Here, we propose that selecting modern cultivars based on microbiome interactive traits (MITs), such as root biomass and exudate patterns, can enhance agricultural sustainability by interacting effectively with soil microbiomes, which in turn, promotes plant growth and resistance to stress, thereby reducing reliance on synthetic crop protectants. Through a stepwise selection process, we chose 51 potato cultivars based on their plant growth matrices with distinct root exudate patterns. In a greenhouse experiment, we verified their capacity to interact with the soil microbiome. These were further clustered into functional groups based on their MITs and leaf metabolites and further characterised by their rhizosphere microbiome (bacterial and fungal communities). Our results indicate a positive correlation between microbial community diversity and root biomass. A potential influence of leaf metabolites on the composition of rhizosphere bacteria was observed, supporting the plant holobiont framework. We highlight the significance of incorporating positive effects on microbiomes into the breeding targets to advance the objectives of sustainable agriculture. Finally, a set of 11 potato cultivars was selected to verify whether those with microbiome-interactive traits could contribute to sustainable agricultural production under field conditions.