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Published on: July 24, 2018
Cultivation type, season, and soil nematode interactions affect wheat rhizosphere metabarcoding profiles
Mariantonietta Colagiero1, Isabella Pentimone1, Aurelio Ciancio1
1Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante, Bari, Italy.
Frontiers in Plant Science
|July 31, 2026
Summary
Organic farming enhances durum wheat rhizosphere bacterial diversity and abundance, particularly in May, showing distinct profiles linked to soil nematodes and crop management. This highlights functional services at the soil-plant-microbe interface.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Agronomy
- Ecology
Background:
- Rhizosphere bacterial communities are crucial for plant health and nutrient cycling in durum wheat (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum).
- Understanding the impact of agricultural practices like organic vs. conventional farming on these microbial communities is essential for sustainable agriculture.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate bacterial profiles and diversity in the durum wheat rhizosphere under organic and conventional management.
- To investigate the influence of crop management, sampling time, and soil factors (including nematodes) on rhizosphere bacteria.
Main Methods:
- Metabarcoding analysis of bacterial amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
- Sampling in organic and conventional durum wheat fields and adjacent uncultivated controls at two time points (March and May).
- Classification of soil nematodes into functional guilds (herbivores, fungivores, bacterivores, omnivores/predators).
Main Results:
- Bacterial profiles and diversity were significantly affected by crop management type and sampling time.
- Organic wheat showed higher bacterial richness and abundance, especially in May, compared to conventional wheat.
- Specific bacterial taxa were correlated with different nematode guilds, suggesting functional interactions.
Conclusions:
- Rhizosphere bacterial communities in durum wheat differ significantly based on management type and season.
- Organic farming practices promote a richer and more functionally redundant bacterial community.
- Interactions between bacteria, nematodes, and the plant host contribute to ecosystem services in the rhizosphere.
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