Influence of plant fraction, soil and plant species on the microbiota: a multi-kingdom comparison

Journal article

Plant roots influence the soil microbiota via physical interaction, secretion and plant immunity. However, it is unclear whether the root fraction or soil is more important in determining the structure of the prokaryotic or eukaryotic community and whether this varies between plant species. Furthermore, the leaf (phyllosphere) and root microbiota have a large overlap, however it is unclear whether this results from colonization of the phyllosphere by the root microbiota. Soil, rhizosphere, rhizoplane and root endosphere prokaryotic, eukaryotic and fungal-specific microbiota of four plant species were analyzed with high-throughput sequencing. The strength of factors controlling microbiota structure was determined using PERMANOVA statistics. The origin of the phyllosphere microbiota was investigated with a soil swap experiment. Global microbial kingdom analysis conducted simultaneously on multiple plants, show that cereals, legumes and Brassicaceae establish similar prokaryotic and similar eukaryotic communities inside and on the root surface. While the bacterial microbiota are recruited from the surrounding soil, its profile is influenced by the root itself more so than by soil or plant species. However, by contrast, the fungal microbiota are most strongly influenced by soil. This was observed in two different soils and for all plant species examined. Microbiota structure is established within two weeks of plant growth in soil and remains stable thereafter. A reciprocal soil swap experiment shows that the phyllosphere is colonized from the soil in which the plant is grown.

Authors: Tkacz, A; Bestion, E; Bo, Z; Hortala, M; Poole, P

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: American Society for Microbiology
• Journal: mBio
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 1
• Article number: e02785-19
• Publication date: 2020-02-04
• Acceptance date: 2019-12-11
• DOI: 10.1128/mBio.02785-19
• ISSN: 2150-7511
• Language: English
• Keywords: soil microbiology; microbial colonization; colonization dynamics; roots; rhizosphere-inhabiting microbes; phyllosphere; rhizosphere; plantmicrobe interactions; plant microbiota; Stachybotrys infection; microbial ecology