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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Plant Stress and Germplasm Development Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #420927

Research Project: Development of Climate Resilient Germplasm and Management Tools for Sustainable Row Crop Production

Location: Plant Stress and Germplasm Development Research

Title: Host-plant interaction influenced by soil microbial diversity in Fusarium wilt race 4 (FOV4) infested fields

Author
item Jobe, Timothy
item LAASI, IIHAM - Texas Tech University
item ABDELRAHMAN, MOSTAFA - Texas Tech University
item FOKAR, MOHAMED - Texas Tech University
item Ulloa, Mauricio

Submitted to: United Fresh Produce Association
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/9/2024
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. vasinfectum (FOV) is a widespread soilborne vascular pathogen responsible for substantial crop losses annually, particularly in the U.S. “Cotton Belt”. This study evaluated the elemental composition and microbial diversity of five cotton fields (F1 - F5) located near El Paso, TX in an area known to have FOV race 4 (FOV4). Our study focused on soils that are either suppressive or inductive to FOV4 infection. We identified variations in the concentration of elements between fields, with fields F2 and F5 showing higher levels of aluminum (Al), calcium (Ca), and iron (Fe), while F4 had the lowest concentrations. ITS amplicon-based metagenomics also identified differences between suppressive (F3 and F4) and inductive (F1, F2, and F5) soils. Alpha and beta diversity metrics showed higher microbial diversity in suppressive soils, particularly in F4, while inductive soils had lower diversity. Furthermore, PCoA and NMDS revealed separation between the fungal communities in suppressive and inductive soils, with suppressive field F4 showing a unique community structure dominated by Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and other fungal phyla. We noted a higher diversity of fungal communities in suppressive soils, with genera such as Actinomucor, Fusarium, and Penicillium being more prevalent in F4. Conversely, the inductive soils showed an abundance of Alternaria, Cladosporium, and Stachybotrys, which are often linked to plant pathogenicity. These results suggest that suppressive soils support more diverse microbial communities, which may play a role in inhibiting FOV. This study offers valuable insights into the relationship between soil microbiome composition and FOV disease suppression, paving the way for more sustainable control management practices and plant disease resistance approaches for FOV.