AUTHOR=Du Ewei , Chen Yaping , Li Yang , Li Yahong , Sun Zhongxiang , Hao Ruoshi , Gui Furong 

TITLE=Effects of Septoglomus constrictum and Bacillus cereus on the competitive growth of Ageratina adenophora

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1131797

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2023.1131797

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>Beneficial microorganisms play a pivotal role in the invasion process of exotic plants, including arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and <italic>Bacillus</italic>. However, limited research exists on the synergistic influence of AMF and <italic>Bacillus</italic> on the competition between both invasive and native plants. In this study, pot cultures of <italic>Ageratina adenophora</italic> monoculture, <italic>Rabdosia amethystoides</italic> monoculture, and <italic>A. adenophora</italic> and <italic>R. amethystoides</italic> mixture were used to investigate the effects of dominant AMF (<italic>Septoglomus constrictum</italic>, SC) and <italic>Bacillus cereus</italic> (BC), and the co-inoculation of BC and SC on the competitive growth of <italic>A. adenophora</italic>. The results showed that inoculation with BC, SC, and BC + SC significantly increased the biomass of <italic>A. adenophora</italic> by 14.77, 112.07, and 197.74%, respectively, in the competitive growth between <italic>A. adenophora</italic> and <italic>R. amethystoides</italic>. Additionally, inoculation with BC increased the biomass of <italic>R. amethystoides</italic> by 185.07%, while inoculation with SC or BC + SC decreased <italic>R. amethystoides</italic> biomass by 37.31 and 59.70% compared to the uninoculated treatment. Inoculation with BC significantly increased the nutrient contents in the rhizosphere soil of both plants and promoted their growth. Inoculation with SC or SC + BC notably increased the nitrogen and phosphorus contents of <italic>A. adenophora</italic>, therefore enhancing its competitiveness. Compared with single inoculation, dual inoculation with SC and BC increased AMF colonization rate and <italic>Bacillus</italic> density, indicating that SC and BC can form a synergistic effect to further enhance the growth and competitiveness of <italic>A. adenophora</italic>. This study reveals the distinct role of <italic>S. constrictum</italic> and <italic>B. cereus</italic> during the invasion of <italic>A. adenophora</italic>, and provide new clues to the underlying mechanisms of interaction between invasive plant, AMF and <italic>Bacillus</italic>.</p>