Microbiome convergence enables siderophore-secreting-rhizobacteria to improve iron nutrition and yield of peanut intercropped with maize

Abstract

Intercropping has the potential to improve plant nutrition as well as crop yield. However, the exact mechanism promoting improved nutrient acquisition and the role the rhizosphere microbiome may play in this process remains poorly understood. Here, we use a peanut/maize intercropping system to investigate the role of root-associated microbiota in iron nutrition in these crops, combining microbiome profiling, strain and substance isolation and functional validation. We find that intercropping increases iron nutrition in peanut but not in maize plants and that the microbiota composition changes and converges between the two plants tested in intercropping experiments. We identify a Pseudomonas secreted siderophore, pyoverdine, that improves iron nutrition in glasshouse and field experiments. Our results suggest that the presence of siderophore-secreting Pseudomonas in peanut and maize intercropped plays an important role in iron nutrition. These findings could be used to envision future intercropping practices aiming to improve plant nutrition.

Ferric Oxide Nanomaterials and Plant-Rhizobacteria Symbionts Cogenerate Iron Plaque for Removing Highly Chlorinated Contaminants in Dryland Soils

“…Herein, a plant-rhizobacteria symbiont was established with alfalfa (an important leguminous forage grass and a model plant for soil remediation) and Pseudomonas chlororaphis (a rhizosphere plant-beneficial bacterium closely related to iron nutrition , ) for the crop growth and pollutant removal in soil contaminated with 2,2′,4,5,5′-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB101) . Considering the superior growth-promoting effect, remediation performance, and biocompatibility of α-Fe 2 O 3 NMs among various Fe-based nanomaterials, , a 120-d pot experiment was designed to investigate the combined effect of α-Fe 2 O 3 NMs and plant-rhizobacteria symbionts on the safe production of alfalfa and PCB101 degradation in soil.…”