The Flavobacterium Genus in the Plant Holobiont: Ecological, Physiological, and Applicative Insights

Members of the Flavobacterium genus are widely distributed in nature where they are often associated with the capacity to degrade complex organic compounds. A myriad of recent studies indicate that the class Flavobacteria, and specifically the genus Flavobacterium, represent a significant fraction of root- and leaf-associated microbiomes in a broad range of plant species. Several of these studies have shown that the relative abundance of members of this genus increases substantially along the soil, rhizosphere, and rhizoplane continuum, indicating a specialized capacity to proliferate in plant environments and suggesting a role in plant functioning. Unlike other plant-associated genera such as Pseudomonas and Bacillus that have been exhaustively documented, little is known about the ecology of Flavobacteriumstrains in plant environments. This chapter summarizes current knowledge of …