Comparative Analysis of the Cultured and Total Bacterial Community in the Wheat Rhizosphere Microbiome Using Culture-Dependent and Culture-Independent Approaches
Sameh H. Youseif, Fayrouz H. Abd El-Megeed, Ethan Humm, Maskit Maymon, Akram H. Mohamed, Saleh A. Saleh, Ann M. Hirsch
Abstract
Bacteria colonizing the rhizosphere, a narrow zone of soil surrounding the root system, are known to have beneficial effects in improving the growth and stress tolerance of plants. However, most bacteria in natural environments, especially those in rhizosphere soils, are recalcitrant to cultivation using traditional techniques, and thus their roles in soil health and plant growth remain unexplored. Hence, investigating new culture media and culture conditions to bring "not-yet-cultured" species into cultivation and to identify new functions is still an important task for all microbiologists. To this end, we describe improved cultivation protocols that increase the number and diversity of cultured bacteria from the rhizosphere of wheat plants. Using such approaches will lead to new insights into culturing more beneficial bacteria that live in the plant rhizosphere, in so doing creating greater opportunities not only for field application but also for promoting sustainability.