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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Genetic Improvement for Fruits & Vegetables Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #348398
Title: Establishing the core microbial community of Vaccinium species as a prerequisite for studying replant disease

Author
item Polashock, James
item Kawash, Joseph
item OUDEMANS, PETER - Rutgers University

Submitted to: International Congress of Plant Pathology Abstracts and Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/4/2018
Publication Date: 6/19/2018
Citation: Polashock, J.J., Kawash, J.K., Oudemans, P.V. 2018. Establishing the core microbial community of Vaccinium species as a prerequisite for studying replant disease [abstract]. International Congress of Plant Pathology Abstracts and Proceedings. p. 104.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) and cranberry (V. macrocarpon) are long-lived perennial crops. However, yields have begun to decline in older fields in New Jersey and replanting does not solve the problem. This suggests that degenerating soil health is associated with decline. The community of soil microbes affects soil health and specific organisms in the community may directly affect plant health. Establishing the core rhizosphere microbial community is required before those that specifically affect plant health can be determined. Soil samples (30 from blueberry and 30 from cranberry) were collected across both crops throughout the growing regions in New Jersey. The bacterial and eukaryotic communities were determined by sequencing a portion of the 16S for bacteria and the ITS for eukaryotes. Fragments were sequenced on the MiSeq (Illumina) platform and taxonomically classified using BLASTn. Regarding fungi, the blueberry and cranberry soils were dominated by ascomycetes and basidiomycetes. Five hundred thirty-eight genera were identified, but most were below 1%. Symbionts, known pathogens and saprobes contributed to the community. Some differences between the fungal community associated with blueberry vs. cranberry were identified. The bacterial communities were nearly identical between the crops. They were dominated by Protobacteria and six other phyla. These data lay the foundation for determining what organisms are positively or negatively associated with crop health.