Microbial niche differentiation and agronomic performance of diseased .

INTRODUCTION

Plant-microbial interactions shape the plant microbiome, leading to niche differentiation in microbial communities. The dynamic variation in beneficial and phytopathogenic microbes from different niches (including the roots, stems, leaves, and rhizosphere soil (RS) of plants) is poorly understood.

METHODS

High-throughput sequencing was performed to explore the shifts in microbial community composition in different niches of diseased and healthy long line peppers (LLPs, L.). Correlations between microbial community composition and agronomic performance were analyzed to speculate the presence of potential pathogens and beneficial microbes in different niches and their effects on LLPs.

RESULTS

The relative abundance of microbial communities in the LLP different niches was dynamic. Some microbes exhibited significantly negative effects on the LLP growth and fitness, including the genera bacterial , and fungal , , , , and . Two pepper-wilt fungi and were identified according to Koch's rule, validating the study's conclusions. The pepper disease reduced plant fresh weight by 72% and increased abundance by 2-fold, additionally, LLP plant height, concentrations of leaf chlorophyll a, fruit vitamin C and fresh weight were significantly decreased contrast to healthy plants. Certainly, potential beneficial microbes (e.g., the , , and bacteria as well as the , , , , and fungi) significantly promoted some agronomic parameters of LLPs.

CONCLUSION

These finding suggested that various pathogens might be associated with pepper disease symptoms. This study lays a foundation for isolations, identifications, experimental validation of phytopathogens and beneficial microbes.