Rice Varieties Intercropping Induced Soil Metabolic and Microbial Recruiting to Enhance the Rice Blast (Magnaporthe...

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Plant Pathology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Intercropping is a recognized strategy for enhancing crop disease resistance.
• Understanding the mechanisms behind intercropping-induced disease resistance in rice is crucial for sustainable agriculture.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the resistance mechanisms of rice intraspecific intercropping against panicle blast disease.
• To explore the roles of soil metabolites and rhizosphere microbial communities in mediating this resistance.

Main Methods:

• Utilized metabolomic and microbiome analyses to study soil samples from intercropped and monocultured rice.
• Analyzed KEGG pathways, bacterial genera, and their correlations with disease incidence and metabolite content.
• Assessed the inhibitory effects of specific metabolites on *Magnaporthe oryzae* mycelial growth.

Main Results:

• Intercropping reduced panicle blast disease incidence in both resistant (SY63) and susceptible (HKN) rice varieties.
• Significant alterations in soil metabolites (e.g., D-sorbitol, D-mannitol, quinic acid) and microbial communities (e.g., *Nocardioides*, *Ruminiclostridium*, *Cellulomonas*) were observed.
• Quinic acid demonstrated significant inhibitory effects on *Magnaporthe oryzae*, contributing to blast control with efficiencies up to 64.57%.

Conclusions:

• Intraspecific rice intercropping confers resistance to panicle blast disease through modulation of soil metabolome and microbiome.
• Identified key metabolic pathways and microbial taxa involved in intercropping-mediated disease suppression.
• Findings provide a theoretical foundation for developing intercropping-based strategies for sustainable rice production and disease management.