Functions of Synthetic Microbial Communities and Their Potential Applications in Ecological Cultivation of Medicinal Plants

Excessive use of chemical fertilizers in the cultivation of medicinal plants can disrupt soil microecology, reduce the accumulation of bioactive compounds, and cause contamination of herbal products. Microbial fertilizers have attracted attention as an environmentally friendly alternative. Traditional microbial fertilizers, however, often fail to simultaneously promote growth, enhance stress resistance, and regulate secondary metabolism, and they exhibit limited stability in complex soils. Synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) offer a novel approach by designing multi-strain consortia that precisely address the core needs of medicinal plants, providing new strategies for sustainable cultivation. This review summarizes the design principles of SynComs, including synergistic mechanisms based on metabolic interactions, signal regulation, and spatial structure optimization, as well as construction methods, including “top-down” selection from natural microbial communities and “bottom-up” assembly of functionalstrains. The applications of SynComs in promoting plant growth, enhancing stress tolerance, alleviating continuous cropping obstacles, and increasing bioactive compound content are discussed. Key challenges such as biosafety, competition with native microbiota, and environmental perturbations are analyzed. Furthermore, the potential of gene circuit design, environment-responsive modules, and functional redundancy strategies to enhance community stability and adaptability is explored, providing theoretical and technical guidance for improving medicinal plant yield, quality, and soil ecological restoration.