Browsing by Person "Behr, Jan H."

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Effect of long-term agricultural management on the soil microbiota influenced by the time of soil sampling
(2022) Fernandez-Gnecco, Gabriela; Covacevich, Fernanda; Consolo, Veronica F.; Behr, Jan H.; Sommermann, Loreen; Moradtalab, Narges; Maccario, Lorrie; Sørensen, Søren J.; Deubel, Annette; Schellenberg, Ingo; Geistlinger, Joerg; Neumann, Günter; Grosch, Rita; Smalla, Kornelia; Babin, Doreen
Application of agrochemicals and mechanization enabled increasing agricultural productivity yet caused various environmental and soil health-related problems. Agricultural practices affect soil microorganisms, which are the key players of many ecosystem processes. However, less is known about whether this effect differs between time points. Therefore, soil was sampled in winter (without crop) and in summer (in the presence of maize) from a long-term field experiment (LTE) in Bernburg (Germany) managed either under cultivator tillage (CT) or moldboard plow (MP) in combination with either intensive nitrogen (N)-fertilization and pesticides (Int) or extensive reduced N-fertilization without fungicides (Ext), respectively. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene and fungal ITS2 amplicons showed that changes in the microbial community composition were correlated to differences in soil chemical properties caused by tillage practice. Microbial communities of soils sampled in winter differed only depending on the tillage practice while, in summer, also a strong effect of the fertilization intensity was observed. A small proportion of microbial taxa was shared between soils from the two sampling times, suggesting the existence of a stable core microbiota at the LTE. In general, taxa associated with organic matter decomposition (such as Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Rhizopus, and Exophiala) had a higher relative abundance under CT. Among the taxa with significant changes in relative abundances due to different long-term agricultural practices were putative pathogenic (e.g., Gibellulopsis and Gibberella) and beneficial microbial genera (e.g., Chitinophagaceae, Ferruginibacter, and Minimedusa). In summary, this study suggests that the effects of long-term agricultural management practices on the soil microbiota are influenced by the soil sampling time, and this needs to be kept in mind in future studies for the interpretation of field data.
Microbial inoculants modulate the rhizosphere microbiome, alleviate plant stress responses, and enhance maize growth at field scale
(2025) Francioli, Davide; Kampouris, Ioannis D.; Kuhl-Nagel, Theresa; Babin, Doreen; Sommermann, Loreen; Behr, Jan H.; Chowdhury, Soumitra Paul; Zrenner, Rita; Moradtalab, Narges; Schloter, Michael; Geistlinger, Joerg; Ludewig, Uwe; Neumann, Günter; Smalla, Kornelia; Grosch, Rita; Francioli, Davide; Department of Nutritional Crop Physiology, Institute of Crop Science, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany; Kampouris, Ioannis D.; Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Julius Kühn Institute (JKI)—Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Braunschweig, Germany; Kuhl-Nagel, Theresa; Plant-Microbe Systems, Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Großbeeren, Germany; Babin, Doreen; Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Julius Kühn Institute (JKI)—Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Braunschweig, Germany; Sommermann, Loreen; Department of Agriculture, Ecotrophology and Landscape Development, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Bernburg, Germany; Behr, Jan H.; Plant-Microbe Systems, Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Großbeeren, Germany; Chowdhury, Soumitra Paul; Helmholtz Zentrum München—German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany; Zrenner, Rita; Plant-Microbe Systems, Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Großbeeren, Germany; Moradtalab, Narges; Department of Nutritional Crop Physiology, Institute of Crop Science, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany; Schloter, Michael; Helmholtz Zentrum München—German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany; Geistlinger, Joerg; Department of Agriculture, Ecotrophology and Landscape Development, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Bernburg, Germany; Ludewig, Uwe; Department of Nutritional Crop Physiology, Institute of Crop Science, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany; Neumann, Günter; Department of Nutritional Crop Physiology, Institute of Crop Science, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany; Smalla, Kornelia; Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Julius Kühn Institute (JKI)—Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Braunschweig, Germany; Grosch, Rita; Plant-Microbe Systems, Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Großbeeren, Germany
Background: Field inoculation of crops with beneficial microbes is a promising sustainable strategy to enhance plant fitness and nutrient acquisition. However, effectiveness can vary due to environmental factors, microbial competition, and methodological challenges, while their precise modes of action remain uncertain. This underscores the need for further research to optimize inoculation strategies for consistent agricultural benefits. Results: Using a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach, we investigate the effects of a consortium of beneficial microbes (BMc) ( Pseudomonas sp. RU47, Bacillus atrophaeus ABi03, Trichoderma harzianum OMG16) on maize ( Zea mays cv. Benedictio) through an inoculation experiment conducted within a long-term field trial across intensive and extensive farming practices. Additionally, an unexpected early drought stress emerged as a climatic variable, offering further insight into the effectiveness of the microbial consortium. Our findings demonstrate that BMc root inoculation primarily enhanced plant growth and fitness, particularly by increasing iron uptake, which is crucial for drought adaptation. Inoculated maize plants show improved shoot growth and fitness compared to non-inoculated plants, regardless of farming practices. Specifically, BMc modulate plant hormonal balance, enhance the detoxification of reactive oxygen species, and increase root exudation of iron-chelating metabolites. Amplicon sequencing reveals shifts in rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities mediated by the consortium. Metagenomic shotgun sequencing indicates enrichment of genes related to antimicrobial lipopeptides and siderophores. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the multifaceted benefits of BMc inoculation on plant fitness, significantly influencing metabolism, stress responses, and the rhizosphere microbiome. These improvements are crucial for advancing sustainable agricultural practices by enhancing plant resilience and productivity.