Woody plant (WP) declines have multifactorial determinants as well as a biological and economic reality. The vascular system of WPs involved in the transport of carbon, nitrogen, and water from sources to sinks has a seasonal activity, which places it at a central position for mediating plant–environment interactions from nutrient cycling to community assembly and for regulating a variety of processes. To limit effects and to fight against declines, we propose: (i) to consider the WP and its associated microbiota as an holobiont and as a set of functions; (ii) to consider simultaneously, without looking at what comes first, the physiological or pathogenic disorders; and (iii) to define pragmatic strategies, including preventive and curative agronomical practices based on microbiota engineering.

木本植物（WP）的下降具有多因素决定因素以及生物学和经济现实。WP的血管系统参与从源到汇的碳，氮和水的运输，具有季节性活动，这使其处于介导从养分循环到群落聚集的植物与环境相互作用以及调节各种流程。为了限制影响并与下降作斗争，我们建议：（i）将水生植物及其相关的微生物群视为整体生物和一系列功能；（ii）同时考虑生理或致病性疾病，而不考虑先来者；（iii）定义务实的策略，包括基于微生物群工程学的预防性和治疗性农学实践。