Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Switchgrass Rhizosphere Metabolite Chemistry Driven by Nitrogen Availability

Journal Article · · Phytobiomes Journal
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [5];  [2]
  1. Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States); Michigan State University Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences
  2. Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)
  3. Michigan State Univ., Hickory Corner, MI (United States)
  4. Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States)
  5. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Plants and soil microorganisms interact closely in the rhizosphere where plants may exchange carbon (C) for functional benefits from the microbial community. For example, the bioenergy crop, switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is thought to exchange root-exuded C for nitrogen (N) fixed by diazotrophs (free-living N-fixers). However, this interaction is not well characterized and it is not known how or if switchgrass responds to diazotrophs or their activity. To explore this question, we assessed rhizosphere metabolite chemistry of switchgrass grown in a hydroponic system under two N levels and under inoculated or uninoculated conditions. Plants were grown with the inoculum Azotobacter vinelandii DJ for 3 days before harvest. We found switchgrass root exudate chemistry to be driven by N availability. Total metabolite concentrations were generally greater under high N versus low N and unaffected by inoculation. Examination of rhizosphere chemical fingerprints indicates metabolite chemistry was also driven strongly by N availability with a greater relative abundance of carbohydrates under high N and greater relative abundance of organic acids under low N. We also found evidence of changes in rhizosphere chemical fingerprints by inoculation treatment. However, we found little evidence of N treatment and inoculation interaction effects that suggests this response is not directly mediated by N availability.

Research Organization:
Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0014108; SC0018409; FC02-07ER64494; AC02-05CH11231; AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
1637665
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1806283
Journal Information:
Phytobiomes Journal, Journal Name: Phytobiomes Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 5; ISSN 2471-2906
Publisher:
American Phytopathological Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (35)

Data from: Switchgrass rhizosphere metabolite chemistry driven by nitrogen availability dataset January 2020
Carbon flow in the rhizosphere: carbon trading at the soil–root interface journal February 2009
The art of isolating nitrogen-fixing bacteria from non-leguminous plants using N-free semi-solid media: a practical guide for microbiologists journal July 2014
Optimization of the 15N2 incorporation and acetylene reduction methods for free-living nitrogen fixation journal October 2019
Amino acids and vitamins produced by azotobacter vinelandii atcc 12837 in chemically-defined media and dialysed soil media journal January 1983
Mapping the site(s) of MgATP and MgADP interaction with the nitrogenase of Azotobacter vinelandii. Lysine 15 of the iron protein plays a major role in MgATP interaction. journal April 1992
Regulation of lysine catabolism in higher plants journal August 2000
Isotopic evidence for episodic nitrogen fixation in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) journal February 2019
Feed Your Friends: Do Plant Exudates Shape the Root Microbiome? journal January 2018
Regulation of lysine catabolism in higher plants journal August 2000
Targeted Profiling:  Quantitative Analysis of 1 H NMR Metabolomics Data journal July 2006
The role of root exudates and allelochemicals in the rhizosphere journal September 2003
The role of root exudates and allelochemicals in the rhizosphere journal September 2003
Root exudate metabolomes change under drought and show limited capacity for recovery journal August 2018
The role of glycine betaine in the protection of plants from stress: clues from transgenic plants: Role of betaine in stress tolerance journal February 2002
Coupled laboratory and field investigations resolve microbial interactions that underpin persistence in hydraulically fractured shales journal June 2018
Nucleic acids in the culture fluids of Rhodopseudomonas capsulatus and other heterotrophic bacteria journal July 1967
The Biology and Agronomy of Switchgrass for Biofuels journal September 2005
Nitrogen fertilization challenges the climate benefit of cellulosic biofuels journal June 2016
The purine metabolite allantoin enhances abiotic stress tolerance through synergistic activation of abscisic acid metabolism: Purine catabolism in ABA-mediated stress tolerance journal November 2013
Cellulosic biofuel contributions to a sustainable energy future: Choices and outcomes journal June 2017
Diversity of Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria Associated with Switchgrass in the Native Tallgrass Prairie of Northern Oklahoma journal July 2014
Erratum for Smercina et al., “To Fix or Not To Fix: Controls on Free-Living Nitrogen Fixation in the Rhizosphere” journal November 2019
Homeostasis and Catabolism of Choline and Glycine Betaine: Lessons from Pseudomonas aeruginosa journal January 2013
The Amino Acid Valine Is Secreted in Continuous-Flow Bacterial Biofilms journal November 2007
Homeostasis and Catabolism of Choline and Glycine Betaine: Lessons from Pseudomonas aeruginosa journal January 2013
The Amino Acid Valine Is Secreted in Continuous-Flow Bacterial Biofilms journal November 2007
Functional Ecology of Free-Living Nitrogen Fixation: A Contemporary Perspective journal December 2011
Bacterial Osmoregulation: A Paradigm for the Study of Cellular Homeostasis journal October 2011
Small RNAs: A New Paradigm in Plant-Microbe Interactions journal August 2014
N EW I NSIGHTS INTO THE R EGULATION AND F UNCTIONAL S IGNIFICANCE OF L YSINE M ETABOLISM IN P LANTS journal June 2002
The role of root Exudates in Rhizosphere Interactions with Plants and Other Organisms journal June 2006
Associative nitrogen fixation (ANF) in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) across a nitrogen input gradient journal June 2018
Metabolite Profiling of Root Exudates of Common Bean under Phosphorus Deficiency journal July 2014
Feed Your Friends: Do Plant Exudates Shape the Root Microbiome? text January 2018

Cited By (1)



Figures / Tables (6)