Microbiota in non-flooded and flooded rice culms

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Plant Science
• Agroecology

Background:

• Rice plants host diverse microbial communities crucial for health and productivity.
• The impact of water flooding on rice culm microbiomes remains largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the bacterial community composition on rice culms under flooded and non-flooded conditions.
• To understand the response of the rice culm microbiome to water flooding.

Main Methods:

• 16S rRNA gene sequencing was employed to analyze bacterial communities.
• Comparison of microbial profiles between non-flooded (RSA) and flooded (RSB) rice culms.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in bacterial communities were observed between RSA and RSB.
• Non-flooded culms (RSA) were dominated by Gammaproteobacteria and Pantoea, while flooded culms (RSB) showed a prevalence of Firmicutes and Bacillus.
• Flooding led to significant increases and decreases in specific bacterial genera, with notable changes in Aeromonas and Bacillus populations.
• Flooded conditions (RSB) exhibited higher bacterial richness, driven by an increase in rare taxa.

Conclusions:

• Water flooding profoundly reshapes the rice culm bacterial microbiome.
• The study highlights specific bacterial genera sensitive to flooding, offering insights for identifying beneficial microbes.
• Findings contribute to understanding microbial roles in crop health and sustainable agriculture.