Microbiomes and their hosts influence each other; for instance, the microbiome improves host fitness, whereas the host supports microbiome nutrition. Most studies on this topic have focused on the role of bacteria and fungi, although research on viruses that infect bacteria, known as ‘bacteriophages’ (phages), has gained importance due to the potential role bacteriophages play in the resilience and functionality of the gut microbiome. Like the gut microbiome, the rhizosphere harbors a complex microbiome, but little is known about the role of phages in this ecosystem. In this opinion, we extend the knowledge gained in human gut virus metagenomics (viromics) to disentangle the potential role of phages in driving the resilience and functionality of the rhizosphere microbiome. We propose that future comparative studies across environments are necessary to unravel the underlying mechanisms through which phages drive the composition and functionality of the rhizosphere microbiome and its interaction with the plant host. Importantly, such understanding might generate strategies to improve plant resistance and resilience in the context of climate change.

微生物群系及其寄主相互影响；例如，微生物组可以改善宿主的适应性，而宿主则可以支持微生物组的营养。关于该主题的大多数研究都集中在细菌和真菌的作用上，尽管对感染细菌的病毒（称为“噬菌体”（噬菌体））的研究由于其在肠道弹性和功能中的潜在作用而变得越来越重要。微生物组。像肠道微生物组一样，根际也存在着一个复杂的微生物组，但是人们对噬菌体在该生态系统中的作用知之甚少。根据这种观点，我们扩展了在人类肠道病毒宏基因组学（病毒学）中获得的知识，以弄清噬菌体在驱动根际微生物组弹性和功能方面的潜在作用。我们建议未来的跨环境比较研究是必要的，以揭示噬菌体驱动根际微生物组的组成和功能及其与植物宿主相互作用的潜在机制。重要的是，这种理解可能会产生在气候变化的背景下提高植物抗性和复原力的策略。