AUTHOR=Li Peiling , Zong Dan , Gan Peihua , Li Hailin , Wu Zhiyang , Li Fahong , Zhao Changlin , Li Laigeng , He Chengzhong 

TITLE=Comparison of the diversity and structure of the rhizosphere microbial community between the straight and twisted trunk types of Pinus yunnanensis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1066805

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2023.1066805

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background</title><p><italic>Pinus yunnanensis</italic> is a major silvicultural species in Southwest China. Currently, large areas of twisted-trunk <italic>Pinus yunnanensis</italic> stands severely restrict its productivity. Different categories of rhizosphere microbes evolve alongside plants and environments and play an important role in the growth and ecological fitness of their host plant. However, the diversity and structure of the rhizosphere microbial communities between P. yunnanensis with two different trunk types—straight and twisted—remain unclear.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>We collected the rhizosphere soil of 5 trees with the straight and 5 trees with the twisted trunk type in each of three sites in Yunnan province. We assessed and compared the diversity and structure of the rhizosphere microbial communities between <italic>P. yunnanensis</italic> with two different trunk types by Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA genes and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>The available phosphorus in soil differed significantly between <italic>P. yunnanensis</italic> with straight and twisted trunks. Available potassium had a significant effect on fungi. <italic>Chloroflexi</italic> dominated the rhizosphere soils of the straight trunk type, while <italic>Proteobacteria</italic> was predominant in the rhizosphere soils of the twisted trunk type. Trunk types significantly explained 6.79% of the variance in bacterial communities.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>This study revealed the composition and diversity of bacterial and fungal groups in the rhizosphere soil of <italic>P. yunnanensis</italic> with straight and twisted trunk types, providing proper microbial information for different plant phenotypes.</p></sec>