中文摘要：

根际是土壤一植物生态系统物质交换的活跃界面。植物作为第一生产者同化大气CO2，将部分光合产物转运至地下，激发土壤微生物的生长和新陈代谢；土壤微生物则将有机态养分转化成无机形态，利于植物吸收利用。这个植物一微生物的互作关系维系和主宰着陆地生态系统的功能。自从100年前德国科学家Lorenz Hiltner提出根际概念以来，根际研究方兴未艾，研究内容不断得以丰富和发展。近年来，随着分子生物技术在土壤环境领域的应用，根际微生物研究出现快速发展的趋势。本文根据2004年在慕尼黑召开的第一届国际根际大会交流内容、结合近年来国际上报道的研究动向，对根际微生物研究方法、根际微生物生物多样性和生态功能、转基因生物的环境安全和根际微生物生物修复技术等内容作一综述。期望我国的根际微生物研究能在基础和应用领域得到快速发展。

英文摘要：

The rhizosphere is the dynamic interface between plant and soil. Through this interface, plants release photo-assimilated substances, which stimulate soil microbial activity. Microorganisms in turn transform the organic nutrients to inorganic forms, facilitating the uptakes by plants. This above- and below-ground feedback interaction constitutes the base for ecological functioning of the terrestrial ecosystems. Great advances have been achieved since the German scientist Lorenz Hiltner defined the term ＇rhizosphere＇ 100 years ago. Particularly, the recent development of molecular ecological tools has largely expanded the knowledge of microbial diversity in the rhizosphere. To exchange the proceedings and document the perspectives and challenges in rhizosphere researches, the International Rhizosphere Congress was held September 2004, in Munich, Germany. Here we review the recent advances in： （1） the developments of research methods for rhizosphere microbiology; （2） the biodiversity and function of the rhizosphere microorganisms; （3） the GMOs＇ environmental safety; and （4） the rhizosphere bioremediation.