Genetically Modified Sugarcane Intercropping Soybean Impact on Rhizosphere Bacterial Communities and Co-occurrence Patterns.

Beilei Wei,Ningshao Xia,Ziting Wang,Yue Liu,Rushuang Wen,Tingsu Chen,Jinlian Zhang

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2021.742341

Beilei Wei, Ningshao Xia + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.742341

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Journal: Frontiers in Microbiology	Publication Date: Dec 9, 2021
Citations: 6	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Guangxi University, Xiamen University

Abstract

Strategies involving genes in the dehydration-responsive element binding (DREB) family, which participates in drought stress regulation, and intercropping with legumes are becoming prominent options in promoting sustainable sugarcane cultivation. An increasing number of studies focusing on root interactions in intercropping systems, particularly involving transgenic crops, are being conducted to better understand and thus, harness beneficial soil microbes to enhance plant growth. We designed experiments to investigate the characteristics of two intercropping patterns, soybean with wild-type (WT) sugarcane and soybean with genetically modified (GM) Ea-DREB2B-overexpressing sugarcane, to assess the response of the rhizosphere microbiota to the different cropping patterns. Bacterial diversity in the rhizosphere microbial community differed between the two intercropping pattens. In addition, the biomass of GM sugarcane that intercropped with soybean was significantly improved compared with WT sugarcane, and the aboveground biomass and root biomass of GM soybean intercropping sugarcane increased by 49.15 and 46.03% compared with monoculture. Furthermore, a beneficial rhizosphere environment for the growth of Actinobacteria was established in the systems intercropped with GM sugarcane. Improving the production mode of crops by genetic modification is a key strategy to improving crop yields and provides new opportunities to further investigate the effects of intercropping on plant roots and soil microbiota. Thus, this study provides a basis for selecting suitable sugarcane–soybean intercropping patterns and a theoretical foundation for a sustainable sugarcane production.

Highlights

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is a tall perennial grass that stores high concentrations of sucrose in its stems
The beta diversity analysis showed that the composition of the rhizosphere bacterial community differed between the genetically modified (GM) sugarcane–soybean and WT sugarcane–soybean intercropping patterns, and that the community structure of the soybean rhizosphere bacteria was modified by the interaction between GM sugarcane and soybean roots (Figure 3A)
We investigated the effects of intercropping soybean with GM and WT sugarcane on the rhizosphere bacterial community and biomass of the crops

Summary

Introduction

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is a tall perennial grass that stores high concentrations of sucrose in its stems. It is cultivated in over 80 countries in the tropics, semi-subtropics, and subtropics (Tew and Cobill, 2008). As a C4 plant, sugarcane yields a greater biomass than maize, silvergrass (Miscanthus), and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) (Heaton et al, 2008). Ea-DREB2B, a member of the DREB2 family that was cloned from the hardy sugarcane Saccharum arundinaceum, plays a critical role in enhancing the tolerance of plants to drought and salinity (Ali et al, 2017). It was speculated that the expression of Ea-DREB2B in the roots of transgenic sugarcane affects the production of root exudates and alters the bacterial community structure in crop rhizosphere (Zhao et al, 2020a)

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