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Updated: May 25, 2026

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Published on: October 20, 2023
Trichoderma modulates Pseudomonas metabolism: Co-inoculation enhances phosphorus acquisition of Pyrus betulifolia in
Zuohereguli Kuerban1, Yadong Shao1, Rou Jiang1
1Jiangsu provincial key lab for solid organic waste utilization, Key lab of organic-based fertilizers of China, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-saving fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
Abstract:
Phosphorus (P) is poorly available in calcareous soils, limiting pear growth. We evaluated whether Trichoderma brevicompactum TB2 improves P availability and the rhizosphere microbiome. This study used Trichoderma brevicompactum TB2 to investigate the regulatory mechanisms influencing rhizosphere phosphorus transformation and microbiome structure in pear seedlings. Four treatments were analyzed: sterilized soil control (SSC), sterilized soil with TB2 (SST), natural soil control (NSC), and natural soil with TB2 (NST). SST and NST treatments significantly increased plant height, biomass, and soil available phosphorus (AP) while reducing soil pH compared to SSC and NSC. Notably, only the NST treatment significantly enhanced plant phosphorus content and accumulation. Compared to NSC, NST led to significant restructuring of the rhizosphere microbial community (via 16S rRNA) and functional differentiation in phosphorus cycling (as shown by metagenomics), including increased abundances of key phosphorus-metabolism genes (phnN, phnL, phnP, gcd) and improved organic phosphoester hydrolysis and transport pathways. Metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) identified five high-quality gcd-containing MAGs, including those from Bacteroidota (bin43, bin16) and Pseudomonas (bin53, bin72, bin13), with a bin13-match strain isolated from the NST rhizosphere. Pot trials confirmed that inoculation with TB2 or PSE significantly improved plant biomass and phosphorus nutrition indices compared to CK. Co-inoculation with TB2 and PSE elicited synergistic effects that exceeded those of the individual inoculants. In natural calcareous soil, TB2 enhances pear growth by recruiting P-solubilizing Pseudomonas and activating rhizosphere P cycling. This offers a practical route to improve P-fertilizer efficiency in orchards.
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