Effects of Dark Septate Endophytes on the Performance and Soil Microbia of Under Drought Stress.

In the current study, we explored the effects of dark septate endophytes (DSE) (, and ) on the performance and rhizosphere soil microbial composition of Murr under drought stress. Differences in plant growth and physiological indexes, soil parameters, and microbial composition under different treatments were studied. Three DSE species could form good symbiotic relationships with plants, and the symbionts depended on DSE species and water availability. Inoculation of DSE had the greatest benefit on host plants under drought conditions. In particular, and had a significant positive influence on the biomass, morphological and physiological indexes of host plants. Additionally, the content of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungi, gram-negative bacteria, and actinomycetes in the soil was significantly elevated after DSE inoculation in the absence of water. Based on a variance decomposition analysis, DSE was the most important factor affecting the growth and physiological parameters of host plants, and DSE inoculation combined with water conditions significantly affected the contents of soil microbial communities. Structural equation model (SEM) analysis showed that the positive effects of DSE on varied with DSE species and plant parameters under different water conditions. These results are helpful to understand the ecological function of DSE and its potential application in the cultivation of plants in drylands.