Fig. 1
From: Bioinoculant-induced plant resistance is modulated by interactions with resident soil microbes
Experimental setup with a split-root system to discriminate between effects of direct versus indirect interactions between a bio-inoculum (Metarhizium brunneum, Mb) and the native microbial community (NMC) on two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) resistance in tomato. Three weeks old tomato seedlings were transferred to two adjacent pots with half of their roots in each of the pots. Direct interactions were enabled by putting the native microbial community and M. brunneum in the same pot (NMC + Mb), indirect (plant-mediated) interactions were enabled by putting the native microbial community and M. brunneum in different pots (NMC-Mb), no interactions were enabled with only M. brunneum (Mb) and only the native microbial community (NMC) treatments. A sterile soil treatment served as a control. Plants were either infested with spider mites or not