Bacterial community changes in the presence of AMF in the context of maize with low phosphorus content

Abstract

Purpose Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) perform an ancestral and essential association with plant roots, where plants provide carbohydrates and lipids, and the fungi respond by translocating water and nutrients to the roots through the hyphae. There is a need to investigate the microbial community associated with the rhizosphere of mycorrhizal plants in response to the multiple benefits (e.g., improved nutrition and stress resistance) provided by the association. In this work, we analyzed the bacterial communities associated with the rhizosphere of plants and their response to mycorrhizae in low P conditions. Methods For this purpose, inoculated and non-inoculated B73 corn plants were grown with a consortium of mycorrhizal fungi under low phosphorus conditions. Mycorrhiza response in B73 and the interaction with rhizosphere microbiome were characterized by sequencing the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Results Inoculated plants showed increased greater growth in leaf and root parameters in low P conditions. Bacterial microbiome showed changes in beta diversity and some OUTs significantly regulated by AMF presence. Conclusion These data confirm the importance of mycorrhizae in phosphorus stress and rhizosphere community changes as a possible mechanism to improve plant growth.