A bacteria community sequencing data set from pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

Abstract

Pothos, with the scientific name of Epipremnum aureum, is a popular ornamental plant widely utilized for indoor greening, which is adaptable to both soil-based and hydroponic cultivation. Plant-associated microorganisms significantly influence plant health and productivity by facilitating nutrient acquisition and enhancing stress tolerance. Pothos, which is tolerant to low-nutrient conditions, is thus a suitable model plant to study plant-microorganisms interaction. However, knowledge about the microbiome of pothos is lacking, especially under hydroponic cultivation conditions. In this study, we recorded the dynamic changes of the bacterial communities associated with pothos during a transition from soil-based to hydroponic growth conditions in a 86-day cultivation. Bacterial communities from root tissues, hydroponic solutions, leaves, and soils were characterized through 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, generating 98 community composition profiles. Significant shifts in microbial diversity and composition were observed during the transition, highlighting specific bacterial taxa associated with hydroponic adaptation. Across sample types, Proteobacteria dominated, with Actinobacteriota as the second most abundant group, while Bacteroidota and Firmicutes were present at lower relative abundances. This is the first high resolution and comprehensive data set of the pothos microbiome, offering a foundational resource for studying plant-microbe interactions in aquatic systems.