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Relationship between endophytic microbial diversity and grain quality in wheat exposed to multi-generational CO2
Miao Jiang1, Zongshuai Wang2, Xiangnan Li3
1Key Laboratory of Mollisols Agroecology, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Science, Changchun 130102, China; Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid and Semiarid Areas, Ministry of Education of China, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, China.
Multi-generational elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) affects wheat grain quality and microbial diversity. Endophytic microbes may influence these changes, impacting starch and protein content.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Microbiology
- Plant Science
Background:
- Elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) levels impact plant physiology and grain quality.
- Understanding the role of endophytic microorganisms in plant responses to environmental changes is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between endophytic microbial diversity and wheat grain quality under multi-generational elevated CO2.
- To determine how prolonged exposure to elevated CO2 influences grain nutritional content and associated microbes.
Main Methods:
- Wheat was grown for five generations under ambient (400 μmol mol-1) and elevated (800 μmol mol-1) CO2 concentrations.
- Grain quality attributes (starch, protein, amino acids) and microbial diversity (bacterial and fungal genera) were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Elevated CO2 increased grain number and starch concentration but decreased protein concentration.
- Significant changes in amino acid profiles were observed.
- Dominant bacterial genera included Pseudomonas and Klebsiella; dominant fungal genera included Penicillium and Fusarium.
- Positive correlations were found between specific microbes (Pseudomonas, Penicillium) and the starch-to-protein ratio.
Conclusions:
- Multi-generational elevated CO2 significantly alters wheat grain quality and endophytic microbial composition.
- Endophytic microbes, particularly Pseudomonas and Penicillium, may play a role in modulating grain quality by influencing starch and nitrogen metabolism.
- These findings highlight the potential of endophytic microbes in wheat adaptation to changing atmospheric CO2 levels.
