Soil depth and physicochemical properties influence microbial dynamics in the rhizosphere of two Peruvian superfood trees, cherimoya and lucuma, as shown by PacBio-HiFi sequencing

Abstract

Characterization of soil microbial community at different depths is essential to understand their impact on nutrient availability, soil fertility, plant growth and stress tolerance. We analyzed the microbial community at three depths (3 cm, 12 cm, and 30 cm) in thenative fruit trees Annona cherimola (cherimoya ) and Pouteria lucuma (lucuma), their fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. We used Pac Bio HiFi, along-read high-throughput sequencing to explore the composition, diversity and functions of bacterial communities in the rhizosphere of cherimoya and lucuma at different soil depths. Bacterial diversity, encompassing various phyla, families, and genera, changed with depth. Notable differences were observed in the alpha diversity indices, especially the Shannon index. Beta diversity also varied based on plant type and depth. In cherimoya soils, positive correlations with Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) were found, but negative ones with certain cations. In lucuma soils, indices like the Shannon index showed negative correlations with several metals and specific soil properties. We proposed that differences between the plant rhizosphere environments may explain the variance in their microbial diversity . This is a solid starting point for understanding the impact of microorganisms in different soil depths and their influence on cro p growth and quality.