Nodule–Microbiome Dynamics: Deciphering the Complexities of Nodule Symbiosis and the Root Microbiome

Abstract

Microbiomes play a pivotal role in sustaining plant function and broader ecosystem processes. Leguminous plants host vast populations of intracellular bacteria within specialized root organs known as nodules. The intricate mutualism between legumes and rhizobia ensures a stable supply of biologically fixed nitrogen (N) essential for plant growth. While rhizobia remain the central actors in this symbiosis, recent discoveries reveal the presence of non-rhizobial endophytes within nodules, suggesting a complex interplay shaped by host selection and compatibility with rhizobial partners. Understanding the structure and dynamics of crop nodule-associated microbial communities is thus critical for optimizing host responses to rhizobia and for leveraging beneficial plant-microbe interactions. This review explores the dualistic nature-both facilitative and inhibitory-of the nodule microbiome in relation to nodulation. We examine the diversity of soil bacteria that stimulate nodulation and those that ultimately colonize nodule tissues, questioning whether these functional groups overlap. Furthermore, we discuss the molecular dialogs and counter-signaling mechanisms that regulate endophyte ingress into nodules, and evaluate how nodule endophytes contribute to plant performance and soil fertility.