Project description:Metagenome data from soil samples were collected at 0 to 10cm deep from 2 avocado orchards in Channybearup, Western Australia, in 2024. Amplicon sequence variant (ASV) tables were constructed based on the DADA2 pipeline with default parameters.
Project description:Background: The soil environment is responsible for sustaining most terrestrial plant life on earth, yet we know surprisingly little about the important functions carried out by diverse microbial communities in soil. Soil microbes that inhabit the channels of decaying root systems, the detritusphere, are likely to be essential for plant growth and health, as these channels are the preferred locations of new root growth. Understanding the microbial metagenome of the detritusphere and how it responds to agricultural management such as crop rotations and soil tillage will be vital for improving global food production. Methods: The rhizosphere soils of wheat and chickpea growing under + and - decaying root were collected for metagenomics sequencing. A gene catalogue was established by de novo assembling metagenomic sequencing. Genes abundance was compared between bulk soil and rhizosphere soils under different treatments. Conclusions: The study describes the diversity and functional capacity of a high-quality soil microbial metagenome. The results demonstrate the contribution of the microbiome from decaying root in determining the metagenome of developing root systems, which is fundamental to plant growth, since roots preferentially inhabit previous root channels. Modifications in root microbial function through soil management, can ultimately govern plant health, productivity and food security.
Project description:Many of the microorganisms that are normally present in the soil, actually inhabit the rhizosphere and interact with plants. Those plant–microorganisms interactions may be beneficial or harmful. Among the first are the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). These soil fungi have been reported to improve plant resistance/tolerance to pests and diseases. On the other hand, soilborne pathogens represent a threat to agriculture generating important yield losses, depending upon the pathogen and the crop. One example is the “Sudden Death Syndrome” (SDS), a severe disease in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr) caused by a complex of at least four species of Fusarium sp., among which Fusarium virguliforme and F. tuccumaniae are the most prevalent in Argentina. This study provides, under strict in vitro culture conditions, a global analysis of transcript modifications in mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal soybean root associated with F. virguliforme inoculation. Microarray results showed qualitative and quantitative changes in the expression of defense-related genes in mycorrhizal soybean, suggesting that AMF are good candidates for sustainable plant protection against F. virguliforme.
Project description:Root exudates play major roles in the recruitment of plant microbiota. The metabolic composition of root exudates varies according to plant developmental stage, nutrient availability, (a)biotic stresses and interaction with the root-associated microbiota, including arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which play a key role in plant mineral nutrition and stress tolerance. While it is well established that AMF can perceive plant root exudate compounds, little is known about plant root exudate modifications in response to AMF inoculation. Here, we developed an aeroponic-based culture system suitable for the analysis of maize root exudates during symbiosis with the AMF Rhizophagus irregularis while controlling nutrient availability. We validated the functionality of the system by monitoring both maize root colonization by the AMF and the expression profile of symbiotic root marker genes. We then investigated the composition of root exudates (strigolactones and specialized metabolites) from mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal plants grown under different N and P regimes. Comparisons of specialized metabolite profiles from root exudates, root tissues, and fungal extracts allowed us to identify candidate metabolic features specifically accumulating in mycorrhizal root exudates. Thus, we provide an innovative method to better understand the role of root exudate metabolites in shaping the microbiota of mycorrhizal plants.