Currently, the study of R. rhizogenes in plant pathology is not centered around the role of the bacterium as a pathogen. R. rhizogenes is economically important in genetic engineering, as its plasmids are commonly used as vectors for gene transfer and it has many plant hosts. Researchers are studying the use of secondary metabolites of R. rhizogenes and secondary metabolites produced by plants induced by R. rhizogenes for commercial application.