Recent advances in experimental design of synthetic microbial communities for biocontrol application

In recent years, synthetic microbial communities (SMC) have garnered significant attention as a promising approach to harness the collective capabilities of multiple microbial species across diverse applications, including plant disease management. Advances in omics technologies have provided deeper insights into the complex interactions between plant microbiomes and their surrounding environments. Notably, significant progress has been made in the design and engineering of SMC that exhibit synergistic interactions, demonstrating great potential in managing phytopathogens. Novel tools, such as automated design and artificial intelligence, are increasingly being integrated to enhance the precision and efficiency of SMC engineering. Given the complexity of natural and agricultural plant-associated systems, along with the multitude of variables that influence SMC performance, developing a universal rationale for engineering SMC for biocontrol application remains challenging. This review discusses the design perspective of SMC for biocontrol application, their underlying design principles, critical considerations, and current research endeavors. Additionally, it briefly contemplates the challenges and prospects of SMC application in plant disease management.