Rice Plant-Soil Microbiome Interactions Driven By Root And Shoot Biomass

Plant-soil microbe interactions are complex and affected by many factors including soil type, edaphic conditions, plant genotype and phenotype, and developmental stage. The rice rhizosphere microbial community composition of nine recombinant inbred lines (RILs) and their parents, Francis and Rondo, segregating for root and shoot biomass, was determined using metagenomic sequencing as a means to examine how biomass phenotype influences the rhizosphere community. Two plant developmental stages were studied, heading and physiological maturity, based on root and shoot biomass growth patterns across the selected genotypes. We used partial least squares (PLS) regression analysis to examine plant trait-driven microbial populations and identify microbial species, functions, and genes corresponding to root and shoot biomass as well as developmental stage patterns. Species identified correlated with increases in either root or shoot biomass were widely present in soil and included species involved in nitrogen cycling (Anaeromyxobacter spp.) and methane production (Methanocella avoryzae), as well as known endophytes (Bradyrhizobium spp.). Additionally, PLS analysis allowed us to explore the relationship of developmental stage with species, microbial functions, and genes. Many of the community functions and genes observed during the heading stage were representative of cell growth (e.g., carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism), while functions correlated with physiological maturity were indicative of cell decay. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that microbial communities exist whose metabolic and gene functions correspond to plant biomass traits.