Impact of genotype and soil fertility on wheat rhizosphere microbiota under the trans-gangetic plain

Summary

This study characterised the wheat rhizosphere microbiota across the trans-Indo-Gangetic Plains of India using full-length 16S rRNA sequencing, demonstrating that both wheat genotype and soil fertility significantly shape bacterial community composition and diversity. Four bacterial phyla (Proteobacteria, Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia, and Firmicutes) differed significantly between the two wheat varieties studied, with genotype HD3086 harbouring notably greater generic diversity (421 genera) than PBW343 (322 genera). Soil parameters including pH, nitrogen availability, potassium, phosphorus, iron content, and organic carbon showed significant associations with microbial diversity in both wheat varieties, suggesting integrated effects of genotype and soil fertility on rhizosphere ecology.

Regional applicability

This study was conducted in India's trans-Indo-Gangetic Plains and addresses microbial dynamics in a major wheat-growing region with distinct soil and climate conditions. The findings on genotype-microbiota interactions and soil fertility effects may not be directly transferable to United Kingdom wheat cultivation, which typically occurs in temperate environments with different soil types, management practices, and microbial communities; however, the methodological approach and demonstration of genotype-dependent microbial responses could inform UK wheat breeding and soil management strategies.

Key measures

16S rRNA metagenomic profiling; relative abundance of bacterial phyla and genera; microbial alpha and beta diversity; correlation between soil physicochemical properties (pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, iron, organic carbon) and microbial diversity

Outcomes reported

The study characterised rhizosphere bacterial communities in two wheat genotypes (HD3086 and PBW343) across the trans-Indo-Gangetic Plains using 16S rRNA metagenomic profiling, identifying significant differences in microbial abundance, diversity, and community composition between genotypes and soil conditions.

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