This systematic review aims to synthesize key empirical findings to understand how various elements of the built environment influence the microbiome concerning children’s health and well-being. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases, focusing on studies that examined the relationship between built environment factors and the microbiome aspects of childhood. A total of 42 studies were included in the final systematic review. We analyzed these studies from a range of different lenses, starting with basic research questions and variables to types of built environments, age groups of children, sampling strategy, bioinformatics, and the biological methods utilized. This review highlights a growing emphasis on children’s exposure to nature within built environments and its potential to beneficially alter the microbiome, with 38% of studies addressing this link. It also identifies a significant research gap in connecting built environment design features (landscape and/or architectural) to microbiome outcomes and associated health, behavioral, and mental health impacts on children. The findings indicate that interventions aimed at improving the built environment quality via design could foster healthier microbiomes in children’s environments. This review underscores the need for interdisciplinary research and policy initiatives that integrate microbiome science with built environment design to promote children’s health and well-being.

Target leaf spot (TLS) of sorghum, caused by the necrotrophic fungus Bipolaris cookei, can cause severe yield loss in many parts of the world. We grew B. cookei in liquid culture and observed that the resulting culture filtrate (CF) was differentially toxic when infiltrated into the leaves of a population of 288 diverse sorghum lines. In this population, we found a significant correlation between high CF sensitivity and susceptibility to TLS. This suggests that the toxin produced in culture may play a role in the pathogenicity of B. cookei in the field. We demonstrated that the toxic activity is light sensitive and, surprisingly, insensitive to pronase, suggesting that it is not proteinaceous. We identified the two sorghum genetic loci most associated with the response to CF in this population. Screening seedlings with B. cookei CF could be a useful approach for prescreening germplasm for TLS resistance.

Sorghum bicolor is an important cereal crop because of its tolerance to drought, high temperature, and low input requirements. However, the low productivity of sorghum is still due to the inadequate nutrient status and inappropriate use of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). These nutrients are essential for plant growth, metabolism, abiotic stress tolerance, and yield development. Nutrient uptake in sorghum is regulated by the plant, the rhizosphere microbiome, and close interactions between the root system and membrane-localized transporter systems. This review summarizes the molecular interaction between the root and microbes that control the N, P, and K transporter genes in sorghum. It initially describes the architecture of sorghum roots, root exudation, and the key elements that govern rhizosphere microbiome assembly. It goes on to explain the molecular structure of significant nutrient transport systems, such as nitrate, ammonium, phosphate, and potassium transporters. Other important microbial groups related to nutrient uptake identified include diazotrophs, phosphate-solubilizing, potassium-mobilizing, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The focus is specifically on the interaction of plants and microbes that affect transporter gene expression and symbiotic acquisition of nutrients. In general, the review highlights an integrated framework of the interaction of root characteristics, microbial communities, and transporter networks in the process of controlling nutrient uptake in sorghum, and it determines valuable directions for future studies and crop enhancement.