Changes in phosphorus mobilization and community assembly of bacterial and fungal communities in rice rhizosphere under phosphate deficiency

Abstract

Rhizosphere microorganisms are closely associated with phosphorus (P) uptake in plants and are considered potential agents to mitigate P shortage. However, the mechanisms of rhizospheric microbial community assembly under P deficiency have yet to be elucidated. In this study, bacterial and fungal communities in rice rhizosphere and their P mobilization potential under high (+P) and low (−P) concentrations of P were investigated. Bacterial and fungal community structures were significantly different between −P and +P treatments. And both bacterial and fungal P-mobilizing taxa were enriched in-P treatment; however, the proportion of P-mobilizing agents in the fungal community was markedly greater than that in the bacterial community. A culture experiment confirmed that microbial phosphate solubilizing capacity was significantly higher in −P treatment compared with that in +P treatment. −P treatment lowered bacterial diversity in rice rhizosphere but increased fungal diversity. Further analysis demonstrated that the contribution of deterministic processes in governing bacterial community assembly was strengthened under P deficiency but was largely weakened in shaping the fungal community. These results highlighted that enriching P-mobilizing microbes in the rhizosphere is a vital way for rice to cope with P deficiency, and that fungi contribute considerably to P mobilization in rice rhizosphere. Findings from the study provide novel insights into the assembly of the rhizosphere microbiome under P deficiency and this will facilitate the development of rhizosphere microbial regulation strategies to increase nutrient uptake in plants.