Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1093/aob/mcaf180
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Responses of maize roots, rhizosphere enzyme kinetics, and prokaryote diversity to alternating precipitation: Insights from a three-year field study
Author Würsig, H.; Yim, B.; Martín Roldán, M.; Ghaderi, N.; Stoll, F.; Bouffaud, M.-L.; Vetterlein, D.; Reitz, T. ORCID logo ; Blagodatskaya, E.; Smalla, K.; Tarkka, M.
Source Titel Annals of Botany
Year 2025
Department BOOEK; iDiv; BOSYS
Language englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Supplements https://oup.silverchair-cdn.com/oup/backfile/Content_public/Journal/aob/PAP/10.1093_aob_mcaf180/1/mcaf180_supplementary_data.zip?Expires=1759154823&Signature=tId~EnEP6jR-kOcPzMztYhFiatMoYPGMci1pC-0BroeKZHwMAJd6WTSjYkTGpdxhsHnUkodmTP1AljG3f4XD-JOw-DfM7iSHxpRFOl-FX3esSxJsvY7nRj6Z003xCGz-Bb-LOtNxWqTFigDY2Dc~hc66bwVXfcbxVDV88oWHTMAzKVssLqGNp6tmgiIJVkqOsDrEtcwzAxR7-pp5nygOyl~SS38vBnFfiMcsK5~qpXX9SVMR1Hl9ZAF88B9Fh3xgnh7XsK4HkspeigN75JkL1eKB0psPFFG-huwBEpkr38qe91-5QQ5LoMSNiTKzcDUzuFsYxZwKWbDHjJrsmrF3NQ__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAIE5G5CRDK6RD3PGA
Keywords ACC deaminase; agriculture; bacteria; drought; enzyme activity; field; gene expression; monoculture; rhizosphere; root; root hair; Zea mays
Abstract Background
Understanding how annual weather variation, including droughts, affect plant roots and rhizosphere prokaryote dynamics in different years is essential for predicting plant responses to climate fluctuations. This study aimed to investigate the effects of alternating dry and moist years on maize root gene expression and rhizosphere prokaryote composition, and to reveal interactions between the two.
Methods
Zea mays B73 wild type (WT) and a root hair deficient mutant (rth3) were grown on two substrates during a three-year field experiment with alternating precipitation, designated as dry, moist, dry. Root gene expression was analyzed between the two dry years and the moist year, supported by superoxide dismutase activity. The rhizosphere was analyzed by measuring the enzyme kinetic parameters of β-glucosidase, acid phosphatase, leucine aminopeptidase and N-acetylglucosaminidase, accompanied by the 16S rRNA-based and 1 – aminocyclopropane – 1 – carboxylate deaminase (acdS+)-based microbial community.
Key Results
Year was the main driver of root gene expression and the 16S rRNA-based microbial community, with a distinct pattern of drought-responsive genes between dry years and the moist year. Substrate was the main driver of the acdS+-based microbial community and influenced root gene expression and the 16S rRNA-based microbial community, indicating interactive effects between maize roots and rhizosphere prokaryotes. The effect of year and substrate on enzyme kinetics was enzyme specific. Root hair presence had a marginal effect.
Conclusions
This study highlights the role of annual weather variation in shaping root gene expression, rhizosphere prokaryotes and enzyme kinetics and underlines the role of substrate in structuring acdS+-based microbial communities. Our results suggest that plant-microbe interactions are highly sensitive to precipitation variability and might be influenced by repeated maize planting. They emphasize the importance of precipitation history in shaping plant-microbe interactions, which can serve as a basis for drought resilience strategies in agriculture.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=31175
Würsig, H., Yim, B., Martín Roldán, M., Ghaderi, N., Stoll, F., Bouffaud, M.-L., Vetterlein, D., Reitz, T., Blagodatskaya, E., Smalla, K., Tarkka, M. (2025):
Responses of maize roots, rhizosphere enzyme kinetics, and prokaryote diversity to alternating precipitation: Insights from a three-year field study
Ann. Bot. 10.1093/aob/mcaf180