Articles
Fungal community observations of fully-watered and deficit-watered micropropagated rootstock pecan trees
Article number
1420_25
Pages
187 – 194
Language
English
Abstract
Carya illinoinensis (pecan) trees are among the top-valued crops in the United States, and in recent years pecan production has expanded worldwide.
However, due to changing climates, water quality and availability has become an issue that needs to be addressed.
Improved water practices that do not negatively impact tree health and pecan nut production will need to be implemented to ensure that the available water is used judiciously.
Therefore, we studied the impact that deficit watering would have on the health and overall microbiome of greenhouse-grown potted pecan trees.
In this study, we sought to identify the effects of 70 and 60% deficit watering on potted micropropagated pecan trees and their associated fungal communities in a two-year study and further compare to our previous microbial study that defined the pecan core microbiome.
Our findings indicated no significant differences in alpha diversity of leaf fungal communities between control and water-deficit plants in 2018. However, significant differences were observed in alpha diversity between the two groups in the 2019 study with a p-value of 0.05. Beta diversity revealed a similar outcome with no significant differences in the 2018 study compared to those of the 2019 study with a p-value of 0.008. In both years, Cladosporiaceae was found to be relatively the most abundant fungus in the control groups. Pleosporaceae was identified to be most relatively abundant fungus in the deficit treatment group.
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a drought study with genetically identical pecan rootstock was conducted.
However, due to changing climates, water quality and availability has become an issue that needs to be addressed.
Improved water practices that do not negatively impact tree health and pecan nut production will need to be implemented to ensure that the available water is used judiciously.
Therefore, we studied the impact that deficit watering would have on the health and overall microbiome of greenhouse-grown potted pecan trees.
In this study, we sought to identify the effects of 70 and 60% deficit watering on potted micropropagated pecan trees and their associated fungal communities in a two-year study and further compare to our previous microbial study that defined the pecan core microbiome.
Our findings indicated no significant differences in alpha diversity of leaf fungal communities between control and water-deficit plants in 2018. However, significant differences were observed in alpha diversity between the two groups in the 2019 study with a p-value of 0.05. Beta diversity revealed a similar outcome with no significant differences in the 2018 study compared to those of the 2019 study with a p-value of 0.008. In both years, Cladosporiaceae was found to be relatively the most abundant fungus in the control groups. Pleosporaceae was identified to be most relatively abundant fungus in the deficit treatment group.
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a drought study with genetically identical pecan rootstock was conducted.
Publication
Authors
K. Cervantes, R.J. Heerema, J. Randall
Keywords
pecan, deficit watering, microbial composition
Groups involved
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