Microbiome convergence enables siderophore-secreting-rhizobacteria to improve iron nutrition and yield of peanut intercropped with maize

Intercropping has the potential to improve plant nutrition as well as crop yield. However, the exact mechanism promoting improved nutrient acquisition and the role the rhizosphere microbiome may play in this process remains poorly understood. Here, we use a peanut/maize intercropping system to investigate the role of root-associated microbiota in iron nutrition in these crops, combining microbiome profiling, strain and substance isolation and functional validation. We find that intercropping increases iron nutrition in peanut but not in maize plants and that the microbiota composition changes and converges between the two plants tested in intercropping experiments. We identify a Pseudomonas secreted…

• NS
  National Science Foundation
• SN
  Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung

  Award: 31003A_182499
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 42325704, 32102469, 32372810
• CA
  China Agricultural University
• CA
  Chinese Academy of Sciences
• NK
  National Key Research and Development Program of China

  Awards: 2022YFD1901500/2022YFD1901501, 2022YFD1901500, 2022YFD1901501, 2023YFD1700203, 2021YFD1900100