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Cited by 217Plant-Microbe Interactions and ImmunityPlant Disease Management TechniquesSoil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics

Linking the belowground microbial composition, diversity and activity to soilborne disease suppression and growth promotion of tomato amended with biochar

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Jaiswal, Amit K., Elad, Yigal, Paudel, Indira, Graber, Ellen R., Cytryn, Eddie, Frenkel, Omer·2017·Scientific Reports
DOI 10.1038/srep44382PMC PMC5347032
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Abstract

Biochar, in addition to sequestering carbon, ameliorating soil, and improving plant performance, can impact foliar and soilborne plant diseases. Nevertheless, the mechanisms associated with suppression of soilborne diseases and improved plant performances are not well understood. This study is designed to establish the relationships between biochar-induced changes in rhizosphere microbial community structure, taxonomic and functional diversity, and activity with soilborne disease suppression and enhanced plant performance in a comprehensive fashion. Biochar suppressed Fusarium crown and root-rot of tomato and simultaneously improved tomato plant growth and physiological parameters. Furthermore, biochar reduced Fusarium root colonization and survival in soil, and increased the culturable counts of several biocontrol and plant growth promoting microorganisms. Illumina sequencing analyses of 16S rRNA gene revealed substantial differences in rhizosphere bacterial taxonomical composition between biochar-amended and non-amended treatments. Moreover, biochar amendment caused a significant increase in microbial taxonomic and functional diversity, microbial activities and an overall shift in carbon-source utilization. High microbial taxonomic and functional diversity and activity in the rhizosphere has been previously associated with suppression of diseases caused by soilborne pathogens and with plant growth promotion, and may collectively explain the significant reduction of disease and improvement in plant performance observed in the presence of biochar.

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Jaiswal, A. K., Elad, Y., Paudel, I., Graber, E. R., Cytryn, E., & Frenkel, O.
Affiliations
  • Hebrew University of Jerusalem (IL)
  • Agricultural Research Organization (IL)
Corresponding author
Frenkel, Omer
ORCID
Venue
Scientific Reports
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2017-03-13
Volume
7
Issue
1
Pages
44382-44382
ISSN
2045-2322 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1038/srep44382
PMC
PMC5347032
OpenAlex
W2595184516
Cited by
217
References
83
Citations by year
2026: 16 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 32 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 2
FWCI
16.16
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Scientific Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
University of Illinois at Chicago
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Plant-Microbe Interactions and Immunity
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Plant Disease Management Techniques
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
Keywords
biochar, tomato, Fusarium crown and root rot, rhizosphere microbiome, microbial diversity, plant growth promotion, carbon source utilization, soil amendment
MeSH terms
Bacteria, Charcoal, Fertilizers, Fungi, Fusarium, Plant Diseases, RNA, Ribosomal, 16S, Soil, Soil Microbiology, Solanum lycopersicum, Rhizosphere, Microbial Consortia, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing

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