Field study reveals core plant microbiota and relative importance of their drivers

Harnessing plant microbiota can assist in sustainably increasing primary productivity to meet growing global demands for food and biofuel. However, development of rational microbiome-based approaches for improving crop yield and productivity is currently hindered by a lack of understanding of the major biotic and abiotic factors shaping the crop microbiome under relevant field conditions. We examined bacterial and fungal communities associated with both aerial (leaves, stalks) and belowground (roots, soil) compartments of four commercial sugarcane varieties (Saccharum spp.) grown in several growing regions in Australia. We identified drivers of the sugarcane microbiome under field conditions and evaluated whether the plants shared a core microbiome. Sugarcane-associated microbial assemblages were primarily determined by plant compartment, followed by growing region, crop age, variety and Yellow Canopy Syndrome (YCS). We detected a core set of microbiota and identified members of the core microbiome that were influenced by YCS incidence. Our study revealed key hub microorganisms in the core microbiome networks of sugarcane leaves, stalks, roots and rhizosphere soil despite location and time-associated shifts in the community assemblages. Elucidating their functional roles and identification of the keystone core microbiota that sustain plant health could provide a technological breakthrough for a sustainable increase in crop productivity.