Changes in Tomato Microbiomes During Parasitic Attack

Jim Crocker
28th July, 2024

Changes in Tomato Microbiomes During Parasitic Attack

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • The study from Aarhus University examined how root-knot nematodes (RKN) affect the microbial communities in tomato plant roots and soil
  • RKN presence significantly altered the structure of microbial communities, including bacteria, fungi, and unicellular eukaryotes
  • Non-infested soils had higher microbial diversity and more balanced communities, which may help suppress RKN
The role of root-knot nematodes (RKN) in crop damage is well-documented, particularly their interaction with the microbial communities in the soil. However, until recently, the focus has primarily been on bacterial and fungal communities, leaving out unicellular eukaryotes. A new study from Aarhus University[1] aims to fill this gap by examining the interplay between RKN parasitism and the broader microbiome, including bacteria, fungi, and unicellular eukaryotes, in tomato plants. Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are notorious for affecting a wide range of crops globally, making the understanding of their interactions with soil microbiomes crucial[2]. This study employed amplicon sequencing to analyze bacterial 16S rRNA, fungal ITS, and eukaryotic 18S rRNA genes. The research tracked the development of microbiome composition, diversity, and networking over time in the rhizospheres and roots of both RKN-inoculated and non-inoculated tomato plants. The findings revealed that the presence of RKN significantly altered the microbial community structure, not just among bacteria and fungi but also among unicellular eukaryotes. This comprehensive approach provides a more holistic understanding of how different microbial communities interact with each other and with the plant host under nematode stress. Previous studies have shown that non-infested soils tend to have higher microbial diversity compared to infested ones[2]. This new research corroborates these findings and extends them by including unicellular eukaryotes in the analysis. The study found that non-infested soils had a more diverse and balanced microbial community, which could contribute to the suppression of RKN. The concept of disease-suppressive soils, where specific microbial communities help protect plants from pathogens, has been explored before[3]. This study builds on that idea by identifying not just bacterial and fungal players but also unicellular eukaryotes that might contribute to this suppressive effect. The researchers found that certain microbial consortia were more active in non-infested soils, suggesting that these communities could be harnessed for biocontrol strategies against RKN. One of the significant contributions of this study is its methodology. By employing amplicon sequencing of multiple gene regions, the researchers could capture a broader spectrum of the microbiome. This approach allows for a more detailed and nuanced understanding of how different microbial communities interact under RKN stress. The study found that certain bacterial species, such as Pseudomonas sp. and Bacillus sp., which were previously identified as biocontrol agents[2], were more abundant in non-infested soils, further supporting their role in disease suppression. In summary, this study from Aarhus University offers a comprehensive look at how RKN parasitism affects the entire microbial community in the rhizosphere and roots of tomato plants. By including unicellular eukaryotes in their analysis, the researchers have provided a more complete picture of the microbial interactions at play. This holistic approach could pave the way for more effective biocontrol strategies, leveraging the natural microbial diversity in soils to combat RKN and improve crop health.

AgricultureBiochemPlant Science

References

Main Study

1) Distinct changes in tomato-associated multi-kingdom microbiomes during Meloidogyne incognita parasitism

Published 27th July, 2024

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-024-00597-y

Related Studies

2) Rhizosphere Microbiomes from Root Knot Nematode Non-infested Plants Suppress Nematode Infection.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-019-01319-5

3) Deciphering the rhizosphere microbiome for disease-suppressive bacteria.

https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1203980


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