Abstract:The rhizosphere is the narrow region of soil that is directly influenced by roots and associated soil microorganisms. Research on rhizosphere microbe is essential for microbial ecology and industrial biotechnology. However, the inability of culturing most rhizosphere microorganisms (around 99%) in the laboratory obviates the research progress. In recent years, there is enormous advance in applying non-culturing techniques based on molecular biology and genomics to the study of rhizosphere microbial diversity and plant-microbe interactions. This review discusses recent findings and future challenges in the study of rhizosphere microbe, with brief comment of our Taxus rhizosphere study and various novel techniques.