EFFECT OF MICROBIOME TRANSPLANTATION ON THE PHENOTYPE OF Phaseolus vulgaris L. CULTIVARS SUSCEPTIBLE TO WATER STRESS

• Grant number: 25/03647-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Lucas William Mendes
• Grantee: Felipe Stolf Brasil Piovesan
• Host Institution: Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/16043-7 - Rhizosphere microbiome of the drought tolerant common bean, AP.PFPMCG.JP

Abstract

The microbial community plays a fundamental role in plant adaptation to adverse environmental conditions. With the increasing frequency and intensity of abiotic stresses due to climate change, sustainable and cost-effective strategies to mitigate their effects are essential. Microbiome transplantation emerges as a promising alternative. It enables the transfer of microbial communities associated with tolerant phenotypes to susceptible cultivars, promoting greater resilience without the need for genetic editing or recurrent input applications.This study evaluates the microbial community associated with drought-susceptible and drought-tolerant genotypes of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). It investigates the functional effect of microbiome transplantation on the response of susceptible cultivars to water stress. To achieve this, soil will be enriched through the sequential cultivation of the drought-tolerant cultivar SEA5 under water deficit conditions, selecting microorganisms adapted to drought. Subsequently, susceptible cultivars (IAC-Carioca 80SH and IAC Milênio) will be grown under controlled water stress conditions in this enriched soil. Rhizosphere and control soil samples will be collected for DNA extraction and metataxonomic analysis via amplicon sequencing, allowing for the characterization of the structure and diversity of microbial communities. The results will contribute to understanding the role of the rhizosphere microbiota in drought tolerance and may support the development of bioinputs aimed at adapting crops to climate change.