Effects of salt stress on root and rhizosphere fungal communities of wild soybean

Wild Soybean (Glycine soja Siebold & Zucc), a Chinese Class II Protected Wild Plant Species, exhibits significant research value regarding its salt stress response mechanisms. Given that the Yellow River Delta represents China's sole remaining large-scale native habitat for Wild Soybean, severe soil salinization in this region substantially inhibits root growth. This study employed hydroponic experiments with salt gradients and high-throughput sequencing to analyze salt stress effects on root/rhizosphere fungal communities in Wild Soybean. We aimed to elucidate plant-fungal interaction restructuring under salinity and harness beneficial root/rhizosphere fungi to enhance abiotic stress tolerance in rare glycophytes (e.g., Wild Soybean) within saline-alkali soils. Key findings reveal that although root-associated fungal communities (root and rhizosphere) did not exhibit significant differences in biodiversity indices across salinity levels, they activated adaptive regulatory pathways through structural remodeling. Specifically, enrichment of the stress-mitigating fungal genus Mortierella enhanced plant resilience under adverse conditions. This discovery provides novel insights into salt adaptation mechanisms of rare glycophytes and establishes a theoretical foundation for conserving endangered plants and developing microbial resources in saline ecosystems.