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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Enhancing agricultural resilience through plant-microbe interactions: a key challenge for sustainable farming}}{{#seo:
|title=Enhancing agricultural resilience through plant-microbe interactions: a key challenge for sustainable farming - Top Italian Scientists Journal
|description=Modern agriculture faces the dual challenge of increasing food production while reducing environmental impact, especially in the context of climate change.
|keywords=Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Plant resilience, Soil microorganisms, Dissemination activities
|citation_author=Tenaglia,Federica; Sillo,Fabiano; Chitarra,Walter; Balestrini,Raffaella
|citation_journal_title=Top Italian Scientists Journal 
|citation_publication_date=2025/06/28 
|citation_title=Enhancing agricultural resilience through plant-microbe interactions: a key challenge for sustainable farming
|citation_keywords=Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Plant resilience, Soil microorganisms, Dissemination activities
|citation_publisher=Top Italian Scientists
|citation_volume=2
|citation_issue=3
|citation_doi=10.62684/WYXR4973
|citation_issn=3033-5132
|}}
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| '''Published'''
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| June 28, 2025
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| '''Title''' 
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| style="width:200px;" | Enhancing agricultural resilience through plant-microbe interactions: a key challenge for sustainable farming
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| '''Authors'''
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|   Federica Tenaglia, Fabiano Sillo, Walter Chitarra, Raffaella Balestrini
|-
| '''DOI'''
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| [https://doi.org/10.62684/WYXR4973 10.62684/WYXR4973]
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| '''Keywords'''
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| Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Plant resilience, Soil microorganisms, Dissemination activities
|-
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|  style="text-align: center;" | [[File:PDF_file_icon.png|center|50px|'''Download PDF'''|link=https://journal.topitalianscientists.org/images/9/99/Enhancing_agricultural_resilience_through_plant-microbe_interactions_a_key_challenge_for_sustainable_farming.pdf]]
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'''Federica Tenaglia'''<sup>(a)</sup>, '''Fabiano Sillo'''<sup>(b)</sup>, '''Walter Chitarra'''<sup>(c)</sup>, '''[https://topitalianscientists.org/tis/46641/Raffaella_Balestrini_-_Top_Italian_Scientist_in_Natural_&_Environmental_Sciences Raffaella Balestrini]'''<sup>(d)</sup>

<sup>(a)</sup> National research Council, Department of Biology, Agriculture and Food Sciences

<sup>(b)</sup> National Research Council, Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection

<sup>(c)</sup> Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Viticulture and Enology 

<sup>(d)</sup> National Research Council, Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources

''Correspondence to'': Raffaella Balestrini, raffaellamaria.balestrini@cnr.it


==Abstract==
Modern agriculture faces the dual challenge of increasing food production while reducing environmental impact, especially in the context of climate change. One promising solution lies in harnessing the natural relationships between plants and beneficial microbes. These interactions can help crops use resources more efficiently, become more resistant to stress, and reduce the need for chemical treatments. This review focuses on grapevine and rice, two globally important crops, as examples to highlight how root-associated microbes can support more sustainable farming. Thanks to recent advances in DNA sequencing and microbial research, scientists are now able to design specific microbial mixtures, known as synthetic communities (SynComs), tailored to improve plant health. However, key challenges remain, such as selecting the right microbes, ensuring their stability, and applying them effectively in the field. At the same time, breeding crop varieties that are more responsive to helpful microbes is becoming increasingly important. The Micro4Life project, funded by AGER, explores these topics by studying how crops and their microbiomes interact under different environmental conditions. It also promotes field-based research and continuous dialogue with farmers to ensure that scientific advances address real-world needs and constraints. This approach not only opens new opportunities to make agriculture more resilient and environmentally friendly but also delivers economic benefits—such as improved productivity and efficiency—and strengthens the resilience of farming communities by empowering local stakeholders and integrating traditional knowledge. 

==Declarations==
===Acknowledgments===
The authors are grateful to all the Micro4Life partners and colleagues. 
===Conflict of Interest===
The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.
===Funding===
The authors have no funding sources to report.
===Author Contributions===
'''FT''': Conceptualization, Writing - Review & Editing; '''FS''', Writing - Review & Editing; '''WC''', Writing - Review & Editing; '''RB''': Conceptualization, Investigation, Writing – Review & Editing.

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