A comparative analysis of the rhizosphere microbial communities among three species of the <i>Salix</i> genus

Rhizosphere microorganisms exert a significant influence in counteracting diverse external stresses and facilitating plant nutrient uptake. While certain rhizosphere microorganisms associated with <i>Salix</i> species have been investigated, numerous rhizosphere microorganisms from various <i>Salix</i> species remain underexplored. In this study, we employed high-throughput sequencing to examine the rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities composition and diversity of three <i>Salix</i> species: <i>Salix zangica</i> (SZ), <i>Salix myrtilllacea</i> (SM), and <i>Salix cheilophila</i> (SC). Furthermore, the BugBase and FUNGuild were utilized to predict the functional roles of bacterial and fungal microorganisms. The findings revealed notable variations in the alpha and beta diversities of bacterial and fungal communities among the three <i>Salix</i> species exhibited significant differences (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The relative abundance of <i>Flavobacterium</i> was highest in the SZ samples, while <i>Microvirga</i> exhibited significant enrichment in the SM samples. <i>Microvirga</i> and <i>Vishniacozyma</i> demonstrate the highest number of nodes within their respective bacterial and fungal community network structures. The functions of bacterial microorganisms, including Gram-positive, potentially pathogenic, Gram-negative, and stress-tolerant types, exhibited significant variation among the three <i>Salix</i> species (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Furthermore, for the function of fungal microbe, the ectomycorrhizal guild had the highest abundance of symbiotic modes. This results demonstrated the critical role of ectomycorrhizal fungi in enhancing nutrient absorption and metabolism during the growth of <i>Salix</i> plants. Additionally, this findings also suggested that <i>S. zangica</i> plant was better well-suited for cultivation in stressful environments. These findings guide future questions about plant-microbe interactions, greatly enhancing our understanding of microbial communities for the healthy development of <i>Salix</i> plants.