A new version of this entry is available:
Loading...
Article
2025
Microbial inoculants modulate the rhizosphere microbiome, alleviate plant stress responses, and enhance maize growth at field scale
Microbial inoculants modulate the rhizosphere microbiome, alleviate plant stress responses, and enhance maize growth at field scale
Abstract (English)
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.
File is subject to an embargo until
This is a correction to:
A correction to this entry is available:
This is a new version of:
Other version
Notes
Publication license
Publication series
Published in
Genome biology, 26 (2025), 148.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13059-025-03621-7.
ISSN: 1474-760X
Other version
Faculty
Institute
Examination date
Supervisor
Cite this publication
Francioli, D., Kampouris, I. D., Kuhl-Nagel, T., Babin, D., Sommermann, L., Behr, J. H., Chowdhury, S. P., Zrenner, R., Moradtalab, N., Schloter, M., Geistlinger, J., Ludewig, U., Neumann, G., Smalla, K., & Grosch, R. (2025). Microbial inoculants modulate the rhizosphere microbiome, alleviate plant stress responses, and enhance maize growth at field scale. Genome biology, 26(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13059-025-03621-7
Edition / version
Citation
DOI
ISSN
ISBN
Language
English
Publisher
Publisher place
Classification (DDC)
630 Agriculture
Collections
Original object
University bibliography
Standardized keywords (GND)
Sustainable Development Goals
BibTeX
@article{Francioli2025,
doi = {10.1186/s13059-025-03621-7},
url = {https://hohpublica.uni-hohenheim.de/handle/123456789/17916},
author = {Francioli, Davide and Kampouris, Ioannis D. and Kuhl-Nagel, Theresa et al.},
title = {Microbial inoculants modulate the rhizosphere microbiome, alleviate plant stress responses, and enhance maize growth at field scale},
journal = {Genome biology},
year = {2025},
volume = {26},
}