Genetically related genotypes of cowpea present similar bacterial community in the rhizosphere

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 12; no. 1; p. 3472
• Main Authors: de Albuquerque, Tayná Mendes, Mendes, Lucas William, Rocha, Sandra Mara Barbosa, Antunes, Jadson Emanuel Lopes, Oliveira, Louise Melo de Souza, Melo, Vania Maria Maciel, Oliveira, Francisca Andrea Silva, Pereira, Arthur Prudêncio de Araujo, da Silva, Veronica Brito, Gomes, Regina Lucia Ferreira, de Alcantara Neto, Francisco, Lopes, Angela Celis de Almeida, de Moura Rocha, Maurisrael, Araujo, Ademir Sergio Ferreira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 02.03.2022; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/326/2565/2134; 631/326/2565/855; 631/449/711; Bacteria; Bacteria - genetics; Chemoheterotrophy; Community structure; Cultivars; Genetic diversity; Genotype; Genotypes; Humanities and Social Sciences; Microbiomes; multidisciplinary; Plant Breeding; Plant diversity; Plant Roots - microbiology; Plants - genetics; Rhizosphere; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; rRNA 16S; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Soil Microbiology; Vigna - genetics; Vigna - microbiology; Vigna unguiculata
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06860-x

Plant breeding reduces the genetic diversity of plants and could influence the composition, structure, and diversity of the rhizosphere microbiome, selecting more homogeneous and specialized microbes. In this study, we used 16S rRNA sequencing to assess the bacterial community in the rhizosphere of different lines and modern cowpea cultivars, to investigate the effect of cowpea breeding on bacterial community assembly. Thus, two African lines (IT85F-2687 and IT82D-60) and two Brazilian cultivars (BRS-Guariba and BRS-Tumucumaque) of cowpea were assessed to verify if the generation advance and genetic breeding influence the bacterial community in the rhizosphere. No significant differences were found in the structure, richness, and diversity of bacterial community structure between the rhizosphere of the different cowpea genotypes, and only slight differences were found at the OTU level. The complexity of the co-occurrence network decreased from African lines to Brazilian cultivars. Regarding functional prediction, the core functions were significantly altered according to the genotypes. In general, African lines presented a more abundance of groups related to chemoheterotrophy, while the rhizosphere of the modern cultivars decreased functions related to cellulolysis. This study showed that the genetic breeding process affects the dynamics of the rhizosphere community, decreasing the complexity of interaction in one cultivar. As these cowpea genotypes are genetically related, it could suggest a new hypothesis of how genetic breeding of similar genotypes could influence the rhizosphere microbiome.