Synthetic Microbial Community Isolated from Intercropping System Enhances P Uptake in Rice

Changes in root traits and rhizosphere microbiome are important ways to optimize plant phosphorus (P) efficiency and promote multifunctionality in intercropping. However, whether and how synthetic microbial communities isolated from polyculture systems can facilitate plant growth and P uptake are still largely unknown. A field experiment was first carried out to assess the rice yield and P uptake in the rice/soybean intercropping systems, and a synthetic microbial community (SynCom) isolated from intercropped rice was then constructed to elucidate the potential mechanisms of growth-promoting effects on rice growth and P uptake in a series of pot experiments. Our results showed that the yield and P uptake of intercropped rice were lower than those of rice grown in monoculture. However, bacterial networks in the rice rhizosphere were more stable in polyculture, exhibiting more hub nodes and greater modularity compared to the rice monoculture. A bacterial synthetic community (SynCom) composed of four bacterial strains (<i>Variovorax paradoxus</i>, <i>Novosphingobium subterraneum</i>, <i>Hydrogenophaga pseudoflava</i>, <i>Acidovorax</i> sp.) significantly enhanced the biomass and P uptake of potted rice plants. These growth-promoting effects are underpinned by multiple pathways, including the direct activation of soil available P, increased root surface area and root tip number, reduced root diameter, and promotion of root-to-shoot P translocation through up-regulation of Pi transporter genes (<i>OsPht1;1</i>, <i>OsPht1;2</i>, <i>OsPht1;4</i>, <i>OsPht1;6</i>). This study highlights the potential of harnessing synthetic microbial communities to enhance nutrient acquisition and improve crop production.