Metabolomics as an emerging tool to study plant–microbe interactions

In natural environments, interaction between plant roots and microorganisms are common. These interactions between microbial species and plants inhabited by them are being studied using various techniques. Metabolomics research based on mass spectrometric techniques is one of the crucial approaches that underpins system biology and relies on precision instrument analysis. In the last decade, this emerging field has received extensive attention. It provides a qualitative and quantitative approach for determining the mechanisms of symbiosis of bacteria and fungi with plants and also helps to elucidate the tolerance mechanisms of host plants against various abiotic stresses. However, this -omics application and its tools in plant–microbe interaction studies is still underutilized compared with genomic and transcriptomic methods. Therefore, it is crucial to bring this field forward to bear on the study of plant resistance and susceptibility. This review describes the current status of methods and progress in metabolomics applications for plant–microbe interaction studies discussing current challenges and future prospects.