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Clonal integration and Bacillus subtilis modulate Glechoma longituba performance and soil microbial communities
Bing-Nan Zhao1,2, Xiao-Gai Wang1, Rui Zhang1
1School of Life Science and Engineering, Handan University, Handan, China.
Plos One
|June 16, 2025
Summary
Clonal integration in medicinal plants like Glechoma longituba affects growth and microbial communities, but neither this integration nor Bacillus subtilis improved overall plant quality or growth.
Area of Science:
- Plant Science
- Microbiology
- Medicinal Botany
Background:
- Clonal integration is common in medicinal plants, but its effects on plant growth and interactions with microbes are not well understood.
- Glechoma longituba, a clonal medicinal herb, was used to investigate these interactions.
- Understanding these dynamics is crucial for optimizing cultivation and management of clonal medicinal plants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of clonal integration on Glechoma longituba growth and its interaction with Bacillus subtilis.
- To determine how clonal integration and B. subtilis affect plant physiology, secondary metabolites, and soil microbial communities.
- To assess the overall effect on plant growth and quality for practical production.
Main Methods:
- Greenhouse experiment with connected and severed ramets of Glechoma longituba.
- Treatment with Bacillus subtilis applied to basal ramets.
- Analysis of plant growth, root-shoot ratio, secondary metabolite content, and soil microbial community composition (fungal and bacterial).
Main Results:
- Clonal integration shifted growth from basal to apical ramets.
- Bacillus subtilis primarily affected root-shoot ratios and reduced specific secondary metabolites (flavonoids, chlorogenic acid).
- Both factors significantly altered soil fungal and bacterial community structures, with complex reciprocal interactions observed.
Conclusions:
- Clonal integration and Bacillus subtilis significantly altered plant physiology and soil microbial communities in Glechoma longituba.
- Neither factor demonstrated a positive effect on overall plant growth or quality.
- Findings offer insights for scientific cultivation and management of clonal medicinal plants.
