The genotypically conserved core microbiota modulates nutrient turnover in soybean rhizosphere

Area of Science:

• Plant-Microbe Interactions
• Soil Microbiology
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Rhizosphere microbiota are crucial for nutrient cycling and crop productivity.
• Understanding the functional core microbiota is key to improving nutrient bioavailability.
• The interplay between host genotype, microbiota, and nutrient availability requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between soybean genotype, core microbiota, and nutrient availability.
• To identify the pivotal role of core microbiota in rhizosphere nutrient turnover.
• To validate the functional roles of key microbial taxa in nutrient acquisition.

Main Methods:

• Utilized soybean germplasm core collections for analysis.
• Analyzed root-associated microbial communities and rhizosphere nutrient availability.
• Identified core microbiota using amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) and correlated them with nutrient levels.
• Constructed a synthetic bacterial community (SynCom) with key ASVs for functional validation.

Main Results:

• Phylogenetic variation significantly shaped microbial communities and nutrient availability.
• Identified 29 conserved core ASVs, with most correlating with nutrient availability.
• Three key ASVs showed positive correlations with specific nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, soil organic matter).
• SynCom inoculation confirmed that core microbiota facilitate host plant nutrient turnover and acquisition.

Conclusions:

• Phylogenetically conserved core microbiota critically regulate rhizosphere nutrient turnover and acquisition efficiency.
• These findings advance understanding of the ecological functions of rhizosphere microbiota.
• Provides a framework for leveraging beneficial microbial traits in sustainable agriculture.