Deciphering phenomics approaches for understanding plant–microbe interactions in nutrient absorption and utilization

The phenomics approach for understanding the plant physiological process is a powerful tool for understanding the complexities of plant and microbe interaction, mainly in terms of nutrient absorption and utilization. Various abiotic stress factors modulate plant nutrient assimilation, affecting physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes. However, plant-associated microbes, such as endophytes and rhizobacteria, play a crucial role in providing tolerance to plants by improving tolerance to abiotic stress by facilitating nutrient uptake and improving plant health. The phenomics strategy includes throughput measurement of phenotypic traits, which enables understanding the dynamic interaction between the plants and microbes from root architecture to the nutrient transport mechanism. The current review focuses on the recent advancement of the phenomics approaches used to understand the plant-microbes interaction, including imaging technologies, sensors, and data analytics. The emerging technology will help us understand the functional roles of beneficial microbes in mediating nutrient transport and assimilation at the cellular and tissue levels. Moreover, the integration of the omics information, such as genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic with phenomics, will provide a holistic approach to understanding plant–microbe symbioses. This strategy has the potential to provide novel strategies for improving crop performance in challenging environments. Therefore, the phenomics application has the potential to be a powerful tool in the identification of both microbial strains and plant genotypes that are best suited for sustainable agricultural practices in nutrient-limiting conditions.