Effects of Pine Wilt Disease on Rhizosphere Microbiota and Fine Root Fungi: Insights into Enzyme Activity, Ectomycorrhizal Infection and Microbial Composition

Abstract

Pine wilt disease (PWD), caused by the pine wood nematode (PWN) Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, poses a severe threat to pine forests worldwide. However, the understanding of the impact of PWD on the host microbiome remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the structure and function of the fungal community associated with Pinus thunbergii fine roots and the rhizosphere fungi and bacteria of the tree naturally infected by PWN and the healthy tree. We employed high-throughput sequencing in conjunction with functional prediction tools (Functional Annotation of Prokaryotic Taxa and Fungi Functional Guild) and soil enzyme activity measurements between the two treatments (disease vs. health). The results showed that PWD significantly decreased the activity of β-cellobiosidase (CEL) and β-glucosidase (GLS) enzymes involved in carbon cycling in the rhizosphere (p p Gaiella (p p p p p < 0.05). These findings provided valuable insights into the interactions between pine wilt disease, plant microbial communities, and soil enzyme activity.

Keywords

• <i>Bursaphelenchus xylophilus</i>
• pine wilt disease
• enzyme activity
• community and functional structure
• microbe–host interaction