A stable 15-member bacterial SynCom promotes Brachypodium growth under drought stress

We constructed a 15-member synthetic microbial community (SynCom) using isolates obtained from the Brachypodium rhizobiome. Genomic analysis of the complete genomes of the SynCom isolates was performed to determine if they possess plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits. We assessed the stability of the SynCom through in vitro and in planta experiments and evaluated its effectiveness in enhancing plant growth, especially under salt and drought stress conditions. Additionally, we observed preferential colonization patterns of specific SynCom strains, particularly around root tips under stress conditions. Overall, our results represents a significant progress towards developing a stable laboratory-based model SynCom, crucial for harnessing rhizosphere microbiomes for sustainable agriculture.