Browsing by Person "Kuhl-Nagel, Theresa"

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Beneficial microbial consortium improves winter rye performance by modulating bacterial communities in the rhizosphere and enhancing plant nutrient acquisition
(2023) Behr, Jan Helge; Kampouris, Ioannis D.; Babin, Doreen; Sommermann, Loreen; Francioli, Davide; Kuhl-Nagel, Theresa; Chowdhury, Soumitra Paul; Geistlinger, Joerg; Smalla, Kornelia; Neumann, Günter; Grosch, Rita
The beneficial effect of microbial consortium application on plants is strongly affected by soil conditions, which are influenced by farming practices. The establishment of microbial inoculants in the rhizosphere is a prerequisite for successful plant-microorganism interactions. This study investigated whether a consortium of beneficial microorganisms establishes in the rhizosphere of a winter crop during the vegetation period, including the winter growing season. In addition, we aimed for a better understanding of its effect on plant performance under different farming practices. Winter rye plants grown in a long-time field trial under conventional or organic farming practices were inoculated after plant emergence in autumn with a microbial consortium containing Pseudomonas sp. (RU47), Bacillus atrophaeus (ABi03) and Trichoderma harzianum (OMG16). The density of the microbial inoculants in the rhizosphere and root-associated soil was quantified in autumn and the following spring. Furthermore, the influence of the consortium on plant performance and on the rhizosphere bacterial community assembly was investigated using a multidisciplinary approach. Selective plating showed a high colonization density of individual microorganisms of the consortium in the rhizosphere and root-associated soil of winter rye throughout its early growth cycle. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing showed that the farming practice affected mainly the rhizosphere bacterial communities in autumn and spring. However, the microbial consortium inoculated altered also the bacterial community composition at each sampling time point, especially at the beginning of the new growing season in spring. Inoculation of winter rye with the microbial consortium significantly improved the plant nutrient status and performance especially under organic farming. In summary, the microbial consortium showed sufficient efficacy throughout vegetation dormancy when inoculated in autumn and contributed to better plant performance, indicating the potential of microbe-based solutions in organic farming where nutrient availability is limited.
Microbial inoculants modulate the rhizosphere microbiome, alleviate plant stress responses, and enhance maize growth at field scale
(2025) Francioli, Davide; Kampouris, Ioannis D.; Kuhl-Nagel, Theresa; Babin, Doreen; Sommermann, Loreen; Behr, Jan H.; Chowdhury, Soumitra Paul; Zrenner, Rita; Moradtalab, Narges; Schloter, Michael; Geistlinger, Joerg; Ludewig, Uwe; Neumann, Günter; Smalla, Kornelia; Grosch, Rita; Francioli, Davide; Department of Nutritional Crop Physiology, Institute of Crop Science, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany; Kampouris, Ioannis D.; Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Julius Kühn Institute (JKI)—Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Braunschweig, Germany; Kuhl-Nagel, Theresa; Plant-Microbe Systems, Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Großbeeren, Germany; Babin, Doreen; Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Julius Kühn Institute (JKI)—Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Braunschweig, Germany; Sommermann, Loreen; Department of Agriculture, Ecotrophology and Landscape Development, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Bernburg, Germany; Behr, Jan H.; Plant-Microbe Systems, Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Großbeeren, Germany; Chowdhury, Soumitra Paul; Helmholtz Zentrum München—German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany; Zrenner, Rita; Plant-Microbe Systems, Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Großbeeren, Germany; Moradtalab, Narges; Department of Nutritional Crop Physiology, Institute of Crop Science, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany; Schloter, Michael; Helmholtz Zentrum München—German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany; Geistlinger, Joerg; Department of Agriculture, Ecotrophology and Landscape Development, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Bernburg, Germany; Ludewig, Uwe; Department of Nutritional Crop Physiology, Institute of Crop Science, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany; Neumann, Günter; Department of Nutritional Crop Physiology, Institute of Crop Science, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany; Smalla, Kornelia; Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Julius Kühn Institute (JKI)—Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Braunschweig, Germany; Grosch, Rita; Plant-Microbe Systems, Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Großbeeren, Germany
Background: Field inoculation of crops with beneficial microbes is a promising sustainable strategy to enhance plant fitness and nutrient acquisition. However, effectiveness can vary due to environmental factors, microbial competition, and methodological challenges, while their precise modes of action remain uncertain. This underscores the need for further research to optimize inoculation strategies for consistent agricultural benefits. Results: Using a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach, we investigate the effects of a consortium of beneficial microbes (BMc) ( Pseudomonas sp. RU47, Bacillus atrophaeus ABi03, Trichoderma harzianum OMG16) on maize ( Zea mays cv. Benedictio) through an inoculation experiment conducted within a long-term field trial across intensive and extensive farming practices. Additionally, an unexpected early drought stress emerged as a climatic variable, offering further insight into the effectiveness of the microbial consortium. Our findings demonstrate that BMc root inoculation primarily enhanced plant growth and fitness, particularly by increasing iron uptake, which is crucial for drought adaptation. Inoculated maize plants show improved shoot growth and fitness compared to non-inoculated plants, regardless of farming practices. Specifically, BMc modulate plant hormonal balance, enhance the detoxification of reactive oxygen species, and increase root exudation of iron-chelating metabolites. Amplicon sequencing reveals shifts in rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities mediated by the consortium. Metagenomic shotgun sequencing indicates enrichment of genes related to antimicrobial lipopeptides and siderophores. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the multifaceted benefits of BMc inoculation on plant fitness, significantly influencing metabolism, stress responses, and the rhizosphere microbiome. These improvements are crucial for advancing sustainable agricultural practices by enhancing plant resilience and productivity.