High-throughput sequencing analysis of the rhizosphere arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community composition associated with Ferula sinkiangensis

Abstract

Background: Ferula sinkiangensis is an increasingly endangered medicinal plant. Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) are symbiotic microorganisms that live in the soil wherein they enhance nutrient uptake, stress resistance, and pathogen defense in host plants. While such AMF have the potential to aid in Ferula sinkiangensis cultivation, the composition of AMF communities associated with Ferula sinkiangensis and the relationship between these fungi and other pertinent abiotic factors remain to be clarified.Results: Herein, we collected samples of rhizosphere and surrounding soil at a range of depths (0-20, 20-40, and 40-60 cm) and a range of slope positions (bottom, middle, top). These samples were then subjected to analyses of soil physicochemical properties and high-throughput sequencing (Illumina MiSeq). We determined that Glomus and Diversispora species were highly enriched in all samples. We further found that AMF diversity and richness varied significantly as a function of slope position, with this variation primarily being tied to differences in relative Glomus and Diversispora abundance. In contrast, no significant relationship was observed between soil depth and overall AMF composition, although some AMF species were found to be sensitive to soil depth. Many factors were found to significantly affect AMF community composition, including organic matter content, total nitrogen, total potassium, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, available potassium, total dissolvable salt levels, pH, soil water content, and slope position. We further found that Shannon diversity index values in these communities were positively correlated with total phosphorus, nitrate-nitrogen levels, and pH values (P<0.05), whereas total phosphorus, total dissolvable salt levels, and pH were positively correlated with Chao1 values (P<0.05).Conclusion: In summary, these findings reveal that Glomus and Diversispora are key AMF genera found within the rhizosphere soil of Ferula sinkiangensis. These fungi are closely associated with specific environmental and soil physicochemical properties. The physical and chemical properties of these soil samples also differed significantly as a function of slope position (P<0.05). Together, our results provide new insights regarding the relationship between AMF species and Ferula sinkiangensis, providing a theoretical basis for further studies of their development.