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Behr JH, Kuhl-Nagel T, Sommermann L, Moradtalab N, Chowdhury SP, Schloter M, Windisch S, Schellenberg I, Maccario L, Sørensen SJ, Rothballer M, Geistlinger J, Smalla K, Ludewig U, Neumann G, Grosch R, Babin D. Long-term conservation tillage with reduced nitrogen fertilization intensity can improve winter wheat health via positive plant-microorganism feedback in the rhizosphere. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2024; 100:fiae003. [PMID: 38224956 PMCID: PMC10847717 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiae003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Microbiome-based solutions are regarded key for sustainable agroecosystems. However, it is unclear how agricultural practices affect the rhizosphere microbiome, plant-microorganism interactions and crop performance under field conditions. Therefore, we installed root observation windows in a winter wheat field cultivated either under long-term mouldboard plough (MP) or cultivator tillage (CT). Each tillage practice was also compared at two nitrogen (N) fertilization intensities, intensive (recommended N-supply with pesticides/growth regulators) or extensive (reduced N-supply, no fungicides/growth regulators). Shoot biomass, root exudates and rhizosphere metabolites, physiological stress indicators, and gene expression were analyzed together with the rhizosphere microbiome (bacterial/archaeal 16S rRNA gene, fungal ITS amplicon, and shotgun metagenome sequencing) shortly before flowering. Compared to MP, the rhizosphere of CT winter wheat contained more primary and secondary metabolites, especially benzoxazinoid derivatives. Potential copiotrophic and plant-beneficial taxa (e.g. Bacillus, Devosia, and Trichoderma) as well as functional genes (e.g. siderophore production, trehalose synthase, and ACC deaminase) were enriched in the CT rhizosphere, suggesting that tillage affected belowground plant-microorganism interactions. In addition, physiological stress markers were suppressed in CT winter wheat compared to MP. In summary, tillage practice was a major driver of crop performance, root deposits, and rhizosphere microbiome interactions, while the N-fertilization intensity was also relevant, but less important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Helge Behr
- Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Plant-Microbe Systems, Theodor-Echtermeyer-Weg 1, 14979 Großbeeren, Germany
| | - Theresa Kuhl-Nagel
- Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Plant-Microbe Systems, Theodor-Echtermeyer-Weg 1, 14979 Großbeeren, Germany
| | - Loreen Sommermann
- Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Department of Agriculture
, Ecotrophology and Landscape Development, Strenzfelder Allee 28, 06406 Bernburg, Germany
| | - Narges Moradtalab
- University of Hohenheim, Institute of Crop Science (340 h), Fruwirthstraße 20, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Soumitra Paul Chowdhury
- Institute of Network Biology
, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstaedter Landstraße 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Michael Schloter
- Research Unit for Comparative Microbiome Analysis
(COMI), Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstaedter Landstraße 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Saskia Windisch
- University of Hohenheim, Institute of Crop Science (340 h), Fruwirthstraße 20, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Ingo Schellenberg
- Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Department of Agriculture
, Ecotrophology and Landscape Development, Strenzfelder Allee 28, 06406 Bernburg, Germany
| | - Lorrie Maccario
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Biology, Section of Microbiology, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Søren J Sørensen
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Biology, Section of Microbiology, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael Rothballer
- Institute of Network Biology
, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstaedter Landstraße 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Joerg Geistlinger
- Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Department of Agriculture
, Ecotrophology and Landscape Development, Strenzfelder Allee 28, 06406 Bernburg, Germany
| | - Kornelia Smalla
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) – Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Messeweg 11-12, 38104 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Uwe Ludewig
- University of Hohenheim, Institute of Crop Science (340 h), Fruwirthstraße 20, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Günter Neumann
- University of Hohenheim, Institute of Crop Science (340 h), Fruwirthstraße 20, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Rita Grosch
- Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Plant-Microbe Systems, Theodor-Echtermeyer-Weg 1, 14979 Großbeeren, Germany
| | - Doreen Babin
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) – Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Messeweg 11-12, 38104 Braunschweig, Germany
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