A recent study reveals that organic fertilizer helps tomato plants combat bacterial wilt by activating a unique defense mechanism involving microRNAs. Specifically, tomato roots release miRNAs (sly-miR159 and sly-miR319c-3p) via exosome-like vesicles into the rhizosphere.
These miRNAs suppress the harmful bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum and promote the growth of beneficial microbes such as Streptomyces and Bacillus. Over six generations of planting, tomatoes treated with organic fertilizer showed a significantly lower disease index than those treated with chemical fertilizer.
The research also identifies that both microbial and nonmicrobial components of organic fertilizer contribute to this effect. Nonmicrobial compounds stimulate the secretion of beneficial miRNAs, while microbial components enrich the rhizosphere with helpful bacteria.
This work introduces a new perspective on plant–microbe communication, highlighting the role of root-derived miRNAs in shaping disease-suppressive soils and enhancing plant immunity.
Read more at: microbiomejournal.com