Comparison of Rhizosphere Microbiomes Between Domesticated and Wild Wheat in a Typical Agricultural Field: Insights into Microbial Community Structure and Functional Shifts

While the differences between domesticated crops and their wild relatives have been extensively studied, less is known about their rhizosphere microbiomes, which hold potential for breeding stress-resistant traits. We compared the rhizosphere microbiomes of domesticated wheat (<i>Triticum aest...

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Main Authors: Jie Fang, Mihal Blaschkauer, Assaf Distelfeld, Zihao Liu, Bin Song, Shimon Rachmilevitch, Jonathan M. Adams
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Journal of Fungi
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/3/168
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author Jie Fang
Mihal Blaschkauer
Assaf Distelfeld
Zihao Liu
Bin Song
Shimon Rachmilevitch
Jonathan M. Adams
author_facet Jie Fang
Mihal Blaschkauer
Assaf Distelfeld
Zihao Liu
Bin Song
Shimon Rachmilevitch
Jonathan M. Adams
author_sort Jie Fang
collection DOAJ
description While the differences between domesticated crops and their wild relatives have been extensively studied, less is known about their rhizosphere microbiomes, which hold potential for breeding stress-resistant traits. We compared the rhizosphere microbiomes of domesticated wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) and its wild ancestor (<i>Triticum turgidum</i> ssp. <i>dicoccoides</i>) in a typical agricultural field using 16S rRNA and ITS gene sequencing. Our results revealed a high level of conservation in the rhizosphere microbiomes between wild and domesticated wheat, with minimal divergence in community composition and microbial network structure. However, domesticated wheat exhibited a higher prevalence of fungal pathogens and increased functional redundancy, with significant enrichment of genes involved in carbon and nitrogen cycling. The microbial community assemblies in both wheats were predominantly governed by deterministic processes. This suggests that long-term conventional agricultural practices have imposed minor effects on the compositional differences between the microbiomes of wild and domesticated wheat. Nonetheless, the lower abundance of apparent pathogens in the rhizosphere of the wild wheat suggests greater natural biota or innate host plant resistance against pathogenic fungi. This study may provide valuable insights into the host selection, assembly patterns, and functional potential of microbial communities in wild versus domesticated wheat, with implications for manipulating microbial communities in future crop breeding.
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spelling doaj-art-efbf12ca652e48189c892525a77d44a62025-08-20T03:43:10ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2025-02-0111316810.3390/jof11030168Comparison of Rhizosphere Microbiomes Between Domesticated and Wild Wheat in a Typical Agricultural Field: Insights into Microbial Community Structure and Functional ShiftsJie Fang0Mihal Blaschkauer1Assaf Distelfeld2Zihao Liu3Bin Song4Shimon Rachmilevitch5Jonathan M. Adams6School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaThe Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boker Campus, Be’er Sheva 84990, IsraelDepartment of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and the Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, IsraelSchool of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaCollege of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, ChinaThe Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boker Campus, Be’er Sheva 84990, IsraelSchool of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaWhile the differences between domesticated crops and their wild relatives have been extensively studied, less is known about their rhizosphere microbiomes, which hold potential for breeding stress-resistant traits. We compared the rhizosphere microbiomes of domesticated wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) and its wild ancestor (<i>Triticum turgidum</i> ssp. <i>dicoccoides</i>) in a typical agricultural field using 16S rRNA and ITS gene sequencing. Our results revealed a high level of conservation in the rhizosphere microbiomes between wild and domesticated wheat, with minimal divergence in community composition and microbial network structure. However, domesticated wheat exhibited a higher prevalence of fungal pathogens and increased functional redundancy, with significant enrichment of genes involved in carbon and nitrogen cycling. The microbial community assemblies in both wheats were predominantly governed by deterministic processes. This suggests that long-term conventional agricultural practices have imposed minor effects on the compositional differences between the microbiomes of wild and domesticated wheat. Nonetheless, the lower abundance of apparent pathogens in the rhizosphere of the wild wheat suggests greater natural biota or innate host plant resistance against pathogenic fungi. This study may provide valuable insights into the host selection, assembly patterns, and functional potential of microbial communities in wild versus domesticated wheat, with implications for manipulating microbial communities in future crop breeding.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/3/168domesticated wheatwild ancestorrhizosphere microbiomefunctional traitsco-occurrence patternsdeterministic processes
spellingShingle Jie Fang
Mihal Blaschkauer
Assaf Distelfeld
Zihao Liu
Bin Song
Shimon Rachmilevitch
Jonathan M. Adams
Comparison of Rhizosphere Microbiomes Between Domesticated and Wild Wheat in a Typical Agricultural Field: Insights into Microbial Community Structure and Functional Shifts
Journal of Fungi
domesticated wheat
wild ancestor
rhizosphere microbiome
functional traits
co-occurrence patterns
deterministic processes
title Comparison of Rhizosphere Microbiomes Between Domesticated and Wild Wheat in a Typical Agricultural Field: Insights into Microbial Community Structure and Functional Shifts
title_full Comparison of Rhizosphere Microbiomes Between Domesticated and Wild Wheat in a Typical Agricultural Field: Insights into Microbial Community Structure and Functional Shifts
title_fullStr Comparison of Rhizosphere Microbiomes Between Domesticated and Wild Wheat in a Typical Agricultural Field: Insights into Microbial Community Structure and Functional Shifts
title_full_unstemmed Comparison of Rhizosphere Microbiomes Between Domesticated and Wild Wheat in a Typical Agricultural Field: Insights into Microbial Community Structure and Functional Shifts
title_short Comparison of Rhizosphere Microbiomes Between Domesticated and Wild Wheat in a Typical Agricultural Field: Insights into Microbial Community Structure and Functional Shifts
title_sort comparison of rhizosphere microbiomes between domesticated and wild wheat in a typical agricultural field insights into microbial community structure and functional shifts
topic domesticated wheat
wild ancestor
rhizosphere microbiome
functional traits
co-occurrence patterns
deterministic processes
url https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/3/168
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