16S rRNA metagenomic analysis of the bacterial community associated with turf grass seeds from low moisture and high moisture climates

• DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8417
• Publication Date: 2020-01-10T04:08:41Z
• Authors: Qiang Chen; William A. Meyer; Qiuwei Zhang; James F. White
• Keywords: Sphingomonas; Pantoea; Festuca

Turfgrass investigators have observed that plantings of grass seeds produced in moist climates produce seedling stands show greater stand evenness with reduced disease compared to those grown from dry climates. Grass carry microbes on their surfaces become endophytic seedlings and promote growth. We hypothesize incomplete development the microbiome associated surface reduces performance seeds. Little is known about influence moisture structure this microbial community. conducted metagenomic analysis bacterial communities three turf species (Festuca rubra, Lolium arundinacea, perenne) low (LM) high (HM) The were characterized by Illumina high-throughput sequencing 16S rRNA V3-V4 regions. performed seed germination tests analyzed correlations between abundance different groups at taxonomy ranks. Climate appeared LM vectored mainly Proteobacteria (89%). HM a denser more diverse community included (50%) Bacteroides (39%). At genus level, Pedobacter (20%), Sphingomonas (13%), Massilia (12%), Pantoea (12%) Pseudomonas (11%) major genera regardless climate conditions. Massilia, dominated seeds, while did not appear composition. showed core consisting 27 phyla Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Patescibacteria Proteobacteria. Differences seed-vectored microbes, terms diversity density climates, may result effects level colonization microbe tissues (adherent paleas lemmas). benefit helping them tolerate stress fight organisms, but dense also compete for nutrients, slowing or modulating