Effects of Lentil Genotype on the Colonization of Beneficial Species and Biocontrol of Root Rot.

species are opportunistic plant symbionts that are common in the root and rhizosphere ecosystems. Many species may enhance plant growth, nutrient acquisition, and disease resistance, and for these reasons, they are widely used in agriculture as biofertilizers or biocontrol agents. Host plant genotype and other microorganisms, such as root pathogens, may influence the efficacy of inoculants. is an important soil-borne oomycete in western Canada that causes root rot in legume crops such as lentil and pea, and there is not yet any significantly resistant varieties or effective treatments available to control the disease. In this study, the composition of root-associated fungal communities and the abundance of species, strain T-22 and strain G41, was determined in the roots of eight genotypes based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) Illumina MiSeq paired-end sequencing, both in the presence and the absence of the root rot pathogen . Biocontrol effects of on was also examined. Significant genotypic variations were observed in the composition of root-associated fungal communities and the abundance of the different species in the lentil roots. The presence of altered the composition of found associated to the lentil genotypes. Biocontrol of by T22 species was observed in vitro and positive correlations between the abundance of and plant root and shoot biomass were observed in vivo. These findings revealed that lentil genotype and infection by the phytopathogen greatly influenced the colonization of root-associated fungi and the abundance of the species, as well as the effect on plant growth promotion. The multipartite interactions observed among lentil genotypes, species and suggest possibilities to select compatible host-beneficial microbe combinations in lentil breeding programs and to develop application strategies to harness the beneficial effects of inoculants in sustainable crop production systems.