Transmission of bacterial community from seeds and rhizosphere to progeny in lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus)

The transmission of bacterial community from seeds and rhizosphere to progeny may have significant implications to next plant generations. Therefore, we evaluated the potential for transmission of bacterial taxa from seeds and rhizosphere to progeny and assessed the composition of the bacterial community in the soil, rhizosphere, and various plant compartments, including roots, leaves, and seeds. Seeds of lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus) were sown and during the flowering period, the soil, rhizosphere, roots, leaves, and seeds (progeny) were sampled. The V4 and V57 regions of 16S rRNA gene with region-specific primers were sequenced to soil/rhizosphere and plant, respectively. The composition of bacterial communities varied across soil and plant compartments at both the phylum and genus levels. Actinobacteria was abundant in soil and rhizosphere, while Proteobacteria was abundant in seeds and plant tissues. Genus-level differences included Bacillus in soil, rhizosphere, and roots, Pseudomonas in leaves, and Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas in seeds. Shared and exclusive taxa highlighted compartmental specificity in seeds and progeny. Thus, seeds and progeny exhibited 9 and 6 exclusive bacterial taxa, respectively, with Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and Acidibacter shared between them. This study identified distinct bacterial taxa across plant compartments and shows thar bacterial transmission to progeny highlights potential for next generations.