Phenolic acid biosynthesis is associated with deleterious microbiome changes during Plasmodiophora brassicae-induced clubroot in pakchoi

Upon P. brassicae infection, significant differences in the microbiome and metabolome were observed between diseased and healthy plants, as well as between resistant and susceptible varieties. Rhizobiaceae is dominant in the root microbiome and acts as a keystone family affected by P. brassicae infection. P. brassicae-induced phenolic acid metabolites selectively inhibit the growth of beneficial Rhizobium sp. 25F3 while promoting P. brassicae bursts in pakchoi. Our work provides ecological and metabolic explanations for how pathogenesis ultimately triggers a decrease in the relative abundance of beneficial microbes, which can guide future genetic and microbiome-based approaches to control clubroot disease. Video Abstract.