Rhizosphere最新文献

{"title":"Shelf-life and storage conditions of AMF inocula: a neglected factor in inoculum application","authors":"Eduarda Lins Falcão ,&nbsp;Fábio Sérgio Barbosa da Silva","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101385","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101385","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The application of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inocula in crop production is known for its benefits on plant yield and rhizosphere interactions. However, some aspects of AMF inoculant production lack standardization and characterization, such as storage conditions, which may directly affect inoculum efficiency and infectivity. Thus, this opinion paper aimed to summarize the research on AMF inoculant storage, highlight the most decisive factors in mycorrhizal inoculant production, understudied, such as cryopreservation and alginate beads, to preserve AMF propagules, and what the next steps are in the research on AMF inoculant storage. Taken together, this paper is a call for a deeper investigation into AMF inoculum production to assist the development of efficient commercial inoculants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 101385"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148178185","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Glass bead-based microcosms enable simultaneous profiling of root exudate and microbiome dynamics","authors":"Charlotte Joller ,&nbsp;Jan Waelchli ,&nbsp;Nicola Zamboni ,&nbsp;Joelle Sasse ,&nbsp;Klaus Schlaeppi","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101363","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101363","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant roots host defined microbial communities that differ from those in the surrounding soil, and these communities shift dynamically in response to plant development and environmental changes. Whilst it is widely accepted that root exudates play a key role in the assembly and dynamics of root-associated microbial communities, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. This is partly due to a lack of controlled experimental systems that monitor both microbiome- and exudate-dynamics simultaneously. Focusing on bacteria, we compared two microcosm systems commonly used in either root microbiome (clay particle-based) or root exudate studies (glass bead-based) for their suitability to simultaneously monitor both aspects. After inoculation with a synthetic community (SynCom), we evaluated these systems for plant performance, bacterial growth, and time-resolved community and exudate profiling. Both systems were characterised by higher community evenness and <em>Pseudomonas</em> abundances in proximity to plant roots. While clay particles impeded exudate recovery, the glass bead set-up allowed to uncover dynamic exudate shifts during bacterial community establishment. With this system, a transient increase of glucosinolates upon root colonisation with initially dominant <em>Pseudomonas</em> species was detected. Overall, the comparison showed that only the glass bead-based semi-hydroponic system was suitable for the simultaneous study of root microbiome and exudate dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 101363"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148178182","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Re-centering the hidden half of plant–plant interactions: moving beyond root biomass to architectural-chemical-microbial traits framework","authors":"Shu Guo ,&nbsp;Xingliang Xu ,&nbsp;Xiaoyong Cui","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101386","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101386","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant–plant interactions are central to understanding species coexistence, community assembly and succession, as well as ecosystem function. Yet empirical studies of plant interactions continue to privilege aboveground responses and whole-plant biomass, leaving the subterranean dimension comparatively underexamined. Even when roots are considered, interaction strength is often inferred from standing root biomass. This practice risks collapsing a multidimensional suite of mechanisms—spatial pre-emption, resource foraging strategies, chemically mediated interference, and microbially shaped feedbacks—into a single outcome variable. As a result, biomass-based inference may obscure whether interactions are competitive or facilitative, and why they vary across contexts and shape coexistence<strong>.</strong> To substantiate this argument, we conducted a targeted survey of 346 peer-reviewed articles on plant–plant interactions retrieved from the Web of Science, which revealed a prevailing emphasis on aboveground responses and root biomass. We therefore argue that the field must move from an aboveground-anchored narrative to an explicitly belowground-informed framework. Additionally, root biomass should be complemented by architectural and chemical root traits, evaluated within their environmental and biotic context. We outline a framework integrating root architectural and chemical traits, as well as rhizospheric microbes for root–root interactions, emphasizing context dependence. We then identify a focused set of testable predictions, and propose minimum reporting recommendations that balance feasibility and mechanistic insight. Re-centering root interactions in this way should improve the interpretability and comparability of plant-plant interaction studies, and strengthen predictions of community dynamics under global change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 101386"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148178187","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Improving automated root image analysis and its application in fine-root dynamics in a 120-year-old Chamaecyparis obtusa forest using a scanner method","authors":"Hinata Yoshida ,&nbsp;Ryota Yanase ,&nbsp;Takuto Yamagata ,&nbsp;Rimpei Yoshie ,&nbsp;Toko Tanikawa ,&nbsp;Mizue Ohashi ,&nbsp;Hidetoshi Ikeno ,&nbsp;Chikage Todo ,&nbsp;Ryota Hayashi ,&nbsp;Yasuhiro Hirano","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101380","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101380","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding fine-root dynamics and their drivers is crucial for elucidating forest carbon cycling. The scanner method enables non-destructive observation of fine-root dynamics with large soil profile images (216 mm in width × 297 mm in height); however, root extraction using the conventional manual way is significantly effort intensive and time consuming. Recently, automated root segmentation software based on deep learning, A Root Auto Tracing and Analysis (ARATA), has been developed; however, its applicability to site-specific conditions has not been sufficiently tested. In the present study, we evaluated whether transfer learning of site-specific scanned images improves the performance of ARATA. Next, we applied the optimized model to quantify fine-root dynamics and examine their relationships with climatic factors and aboveground growth phenology in a 120-year-old <em>Chamaecyparis obtusa</em> stand. Scanning was conducted periodically in five transparent boxes over 2 years, and fine roots were automatically detected from a total of 115 full-page-size scanned images. Site-specific training greatly improved model performance, as indicated by an increase in the Dice score from 0.63 to 0.76 and in the correlation coefficient from 0.76 to 0.88. In the aged <em>C. obtusa</em> stand, fine-root growth was active in autumn, whereas the mortality was pronounced in summer based on the total root length per imaged area. This seasonal variation was primarily driven by air temperature, with a negative effect. Overall, we quantitatively revealed for the first time that site-specific model training maximizes ARATA performance, thereby accelerating the analysis of fine-root dynamics across a wide range of forest sites.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 101380"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148178186","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genotype-specific rhizospheric microbiome and iron mobilization strategies in wheat revealed by integrated metagenomic and imaging analyses","authors":"Pragati Srivastava ,&nbsp;Jasdeep Chatrath Padaria ,&nbsp;Yogesh K. Ahlawat","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101349","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101349","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;The rhizosphere represents a highly dynamic and biologically active zone surrounding plant roots, where intricate interactions occur between the plant and diverse microbial assemblages. This microenvironment is shaped by root exudates, microbial metabolites and environmental factors that collectively influence nutrient cycling and plant health. Among the essential micronutrients, iron (Fe) plays a pivotal role in plant metabolism, being involved in key processes such as photosynthesis, respiration and chlorophyll biosynthesis thus critically influencing plant nutrition and yield. To explore microbial-mediated Fe acquisition, we performed shotgun metagenomic sequencing of rhizospheric soils from two contrasting wheat genotypes—HD2967 (low Fe accumulator) and DBW303 (high Fe accumulator) Metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) were recovered using CONCOCT and MaxBin, yielding four major bins for HD2967 (e.g., concoct.5, concoct.6, maxbin.001 and maxbin.002) and five bins for DBW303 (e.g., concoct.11, concoct.14, concoct.15, maxbin.001 and maxbin.002). Taxonomic classification showed distinct patterns, HD2967 bins were dominated by &lt;em&gt;Myxococcota&lt;/em&gt; (concoct.6, maxbin.001), &lt;em&gt;Alphaproteobacteria&lt;/em&gt; (concoct.5) and &lt;em&gt;Deltaproteobacteria&lt;/em&gt; (maxbin.002). DBW303 bins were enriched in &lt;em&gt;Verrucomicrobiota&lt;/em&gt; (concoct.11), &lt;em&gt;Acidobacteriota&lt;/em&gt; (concoct.14) and &lt;em&gt;Gammaproteobacteria&lt;/em&gt; (maxbin.001, maxbin.002). Functional annotation via FeGenie revealed a richer siderophore transport and regulation machinery in HD2967. HD2967 showed multiple hits for ExbB/ExbD/TonB siderophore transport systems (concoct.6, maxbin.001, concoct.5), PvdS and PchR regulators and iron oxidation (FoxE) genes. DBW303 also displayed iron acquisition genes but in fewer bins and with lower completeness; concoct.11 and maxbin.002 had high siderophore receptor counts but lower gene regulation density. EDX elemental analysis confirmed higher Fe accumulation in HD2967 plant cell, correlating with microbial genomic potential for Fe uptake.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) revealed distinct chloroplast ultrastructural differences between wheat genotypes under low iron (Fe) stress. The high Fe accumulator DBW 303 maintained intact thylakoid organization and basal granules, while HD2967 exhibited disorganized thylakoids and impaired chloroplast integrity. These cellular differences corresponded with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) data, which showed higher Fe and micronutrient deposition within plant cell of DBW 303, highlighting genotype-dependent nutrient uptake and its impact on photosynthetic structure., possibly representing siderophore-bound Fe deposits or ferritin-like storage forms. In conclusion, the integration of taxonomic, functional and elemental data illustrates a strong genotype-driven divergence in rhizospheric microbial communities and Fe mobilization pathways. These insights pave the way for bioinoculant design and ta","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 101349"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148178188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rhizosphere metabolic responses to soil acidification and their implications for nutrient uptake in eggplant","authors":"Tianqi Wang ,&nbsp;Muhammad Awais ,&nbsp;Xiaoyang Yu ,&nbsp;Baiyi Bai ,&nbsp;Zhen Wang ,&nbsp;Ruirui Zhang ,&nbsp;Lijie Yu ,&nbsp;Dan Zhao ,&nbsp;Xing Li ,&nbsp;Ping Zhang ,&nbsp;Roland Bol ,&nbsp;Lijuan Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101370","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101370","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil acidification disrupts rhizosphere metabolic networks which constrain plant nutrient acquisition in greenhouse systems. The underlying biochemical mechanisms, however, remain unclear. We conducted controlled greenhouse experiments using soils adjusted to four pH levels (7.5, 6.5, 5.5, and 4.5). We used integrated gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS) based metabolomics with structural equation modeling (SEM) to elucidate metabolite-mediated pathways linking soil acidity to nutrient limitations. Acidic conditions (pH ≤ 5.5) significantly reduced soil organic matter and key nutrients, particularly total nitrogen and available potassium, accompanied by declines in plant nutrient accumulation. Concurrently, phenylpropanoids and polyketides increased approximately twofold, while lipids and alkaloids showed a declining trend under acidic stress. Differential metabolite analysis identified succinic acid and caprylic acid as key biomarkers, suggesting enhanced stress-induced root exudation and potential shifts toward anaerobic microbial metabolism. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed significant disruption of central carbon and energy metabolism, including the tricarboxylic acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, and glycerophospholipid metabolism. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis indicates that soil pH, organic acids and their derivatives, as well as lipids and lipid-like molecules, can facilitate nutrient absorption by plants, with an explanatory power of 83%. We further research revealed that as the pH value decreased, the content of phenylpropanoid compounds increased, while the lipid content decreased. This indicates that soil pH significantly influences soil metabolism., providing a metabolite-driven mechanistic framework for improving nutrient management and crop resilience in acidified greenhouse soils.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 101370"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148178184","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ecological and functional diversity of sulfur-oxidizing and sulfate-reducing bacteria in Chinese mangrove ecosystems: A comparative review with insights from Guangxi Beihai","authors":"Muhammad Kashif ,&nbsp;Qi Liang ,&nbsp;Can Meng ,&nbsp;Tingmei Li ,&nbsp;Yujia Luo ,&nbsp;Feng Guo ,&nbsp;Dan Wang ,&nbsp;Chengjian Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101260","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101260","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mangrove habitats are critical coastal biomes at the land-sea interface, supporting various microbial communities necessary for biogeochemical cycling, including sulfur conversions. The principal players in these systems are sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), which accordingly control sulfur compounds oxidation and reduction. While SRB lowers sulfate to sulfide during organic material decomposition, SOB oxidizes harmful hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) to sulfate (SO₄²⁻). Using nutrient cycling, preservation of sulfur balance, and change of redox potential, these microbial interactions help preserve mangrove ecosystems' stability. Aiming toward Guangxi Beihai, Fujian, Guangdong, and Hainan, this review offers a comparative study of SOB and SRB populations in mangrove habitats throughout China. Salinity, organic matter content, redox potential, and anthropogenic influences affect regional microbial diversity and activity. Hainan's high salinity supports SOB, while Guangxi Beihai's prevailing SRB community has moderate salinity and high organic content. Reflecting their several environmental gradients, Fujian and Guangdong have a balanced presence in both groups. The functional roles of SOB and SRB in sulfur cycling, their interactions with carbon and nitrogen dynamics, and their contributions to ecosystem health are emphasized. It further explores the biotechnological potential of these bacteria in wastewater treatment, heavy metals detoxification, and large-scale environmental bioremediation. Notwithstanding developments in microbial ecology, significant knowledge gaps still exist about the adaptation mechanisms of SOB and SRB under environmental stressors, their interactions with other microbial taxa, and their reactions to climate change. Multi-omics techniques, including metagenomics and transcriptomics, should be used in future studies to disentangle sulfur-metabolizing bacteria's functional variety and ecological roles. Developing sustainable conservation plans, reducing anthropogenic effects, and increasing the resilience of mangrove ecosystems against global environmental change depend on an awareness of these microbial processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101260"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145939434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Divergent colonization strategies shape shared and inoculant-specific transcriptional and microbiome dynamics in pea roots","authors":"Ahmad H. Kabir","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2025.101255","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2025.101255","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Beneficial microbes can reprogram plant responses, but how ecologically distinct inoculants differentially shape host responses in pea remain unclear. To address this, we analyzed root transcriptional and microbiome responses to <em>Trichoderma afroharzianum</em> T22 and <em>Bacillus subtilis</em> NRRL B-14596. In RNA-seq analysis, <em>T</em>. <em>afroharzianum</em> induced a balanced set of 221 upregulated and 320 downregulated genes, whereas <em>B</em>. <em>subtilis</em> triggered a substantially broader response with 597 genes upregulated and 138 downregulated. <em>T. afroharzianum</em> established a robust endophytic presence within root tissues and induced a symbiosis-oriented transcriptional program, including <em>CASTOR/POLLUX, lectin-domain receptors</em>, <em>Nodule-specific GRP genes</em>, <em>Sucrose synthase</em> and <em>Glutamine synthetase</em>. This was further supported by co-culture assays, where <em>T. afroharzianum</em> significantly stimulated <em>Rhizobium leguminosarum</em> colony expansion, demonstrating a direct fungal–rhizobial synergism. In contrast, <em>B. subtilis</em> remained primarily epiphytic and triggered a broader, stress- and metabolism-focused transcriptome dominated by <em>Ethylene-responsive transcription factors</em>, <em>AUX/IAA repressors</em>, and metal-buffering and proton-gradient regulators, indicating hormone recalibration and rhizoplane homeostasis rather than Nod-factor signaling. Despite these divergent pathways, both microbes converged on antioxidant and detoxification responses, upregulating multiple antioxidant and glutathione-linked genes. Microbiome profiling further revealed that <em>T</em>. <em>afroharzianum</em> recruited symbiosis-enhancing bacterial and fungal taxa (Rhizobiales, <em>Pararhizobium</em>, Hypocreales), whereas <em>B</em>. <em>subtilis</em> selectively enriched a targeted guild of <em>Gemmatimonadales, Capnodiales, Flavobacterium, Paecilomyces known for</em> nutrient mobilization, auxin buffering, and stress mitigation. Together, these findings demonstrate that endophytic fungi and rhizoplane-associated bacteria reprogram host physiology through distinct yet complementary molecular routes, providing a blueprint for engineering synergistic fungal–bacterial consortia to enhance legume performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101255"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145939433","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Adaptive shift to deep soil water use mitigates mining-induced drought stress in Artemisia ordosica","authors":"Xikai Wang ,&nbsp;Yunlan He ,&nbsp;Suping Peng ,&nbsp;Lei Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101259","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101259","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the ecologically fragile areas of western China, large-scale underground coal mining induces surface subsidence. These disturbances could alter plant water use strategy (WUS). However, the specific transformation path is not well understood. This study focused on <em>Artemisia ordosica</em> Krasch. (Asteraceae), comparing its WUS between subsidence and undisturbed area. By combining natural stable water isotopes (δ²H and δ¹⁸O) with deuterium labeling approach, we established a water source tracing pathway from soil to xylem. A Bayesian mixing model (MixSIAR) was applied to evaluate the effect of mining subsidence on plant WUS. The results indicated that: (1) Mining subsidence significantly altered near-surface water cycles, manifesting as depleted stable isotope values in both soil and xylem water in subsidence area (P &lt; 0.05); (2) <em>Artemisia ordosica</em> shifted its WUS in subsidence area, transitioning from primarily using shallow soil water (0–80 cm) in the undisturbed area to increasingly relying on deep soil water (80–120 cm). The proportion of shallow soil water uptake decreased by approximately 10.7 %, while deep soil water uptake increased by about 11.3 %; (3) Deuterium labeling effectively created distinct isotope gradients in soil profile, providing a reliable method for identifying plant water sources. This study demonstrates that <em>Artemisia ordosica</em> adapts to mining-induced environmental changes by actively adjusting its WUS.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101259"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145939416","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Linking root fungal endophytes to forest decline and management regimes in long-established Black pine stands","authors":"Luisa M. Manici ,&nbsp;Alessandro Paletto ,&nbsp;Francesco Caputo ,&nbsp;Claudia Becagli ,&nbsp;Isabella De Meo","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101278","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101278","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Non-mycorrhizal root endophytes often exist as harmless commensals but can turn pathogenic under host stress or aging. This study applies this behaviour to assess the health of a long-term <em>Pinus nigra</em> stand by analysing its fungal endophyte communities. A total of 744 fungal isolates were obtained from healthy feeder roots using culture-based methods in a pilot area of long-established black pine stands in southern Europe. They were identified on morphological traits and nucleotide sequencing in the ITS and histone-3 regions. The Dominance (64 %) of three potentially pathogenic species out of a total of 23 identified, i.e. <em>Dactylonectria torresensis</em>, <em>Diaporthe columnaris</em> and <em>Biscogniauxia mediterranea</em> indicated general declining tree health and compromised tree vigor.</div><div>There was no significant difference in fungal α-diversity between the two thinning techniques implemented eight years earlier, which had different impacts on wood biomass production and reforestation with native species. Conversely, significant changes in fungal species composition were observed primarily affecting the relative abundance of Diaporthe spp. and Cylindrocarpon-like fungi. Diaporthe spp. significantly increased under the innovative selective thinning which resulted in an improvement of biomass production as compared to traditional thinning techniques which increased Cylindrocarpon-like fungi. Conversely, <em>Xylariaceae (B</em>. <em>mediterranea)</em>, dark septate fungi (<em>Cadophora</em> sp., <em>Didymella aeria</em> and other 5 species), and mitosporic fungi (mainly <em>Penicillium</em>, <em>Trichoderma</em>, and <em>Fusarium</em> spp.) were unaffected by management and showed similar frequencies across treatments.</div><div>Overall, non-mycorrhizal root endophytes proved to be sensitive ecological indicators of forest health and management-driven changes offering valuable insights into the mechanisms that support pine forest health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101278"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146077810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}