Contrasting Latitudinal Patterns of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Diversity in Sorghum Rhizosphere Versus Bulk Soils Across Climatic Zones.
AM fungal alpha-diversity in sorghum rhizosphere declines with latitude, while bulk soil diversity increases, revealing contrasting latitudinal patterns across climatic zones.
- Why it matters: Understanding AM fungal diversity is vital for improving crop health and nutrient uptake, yet large-scale patterns and mechanisms in agroecosystems are not well characterized.
- What they did: High-throughput sequencing of 534 samples from 55 sorghum fields across different climates was used to analyze AM fungal diversity and community assembly, focusing on alpha- and beta-diversity trends.
- The result: Findings show opposing latitudinal trends in alpha-diversity between rhizosphere and bulk soils, with community composition mainly driven by environmental factors like precipitation, pH, and latitude, informing sustainable agricultural practices.