LB 27-234 - Kudzu associated soil microbes promote growth of non-legume species

Thursday, August 10, 2023

5:00 PM – 6:30 PM PDT

Location: ESA Exhibit Hall

Presenting Author(s)

RD

Rachel Davenport

Auburn University at Montgomery, United States

Coauthor(s)

KC

Kiuna Cox

Auburn University at Montgomery, United States
BO

Benedikt Okeke

Auburn University at Montgomery, United States
CS

Claudia Stein

Assistant Professor
Auburn University at Montgomery, Alabama, United States

The invasive legume kudzu (Pueriara montana var. lobata) is one of the fastest growing and most noxious invasive plants in the US. During the growing season it can grow up to one foot per day. Plant performance of many species is known to be strongly influenced by soil microbial communities. We performed soil inoculation experiments in the greenhouse to test how soil microbes associated with kudzu influence the growth of other plant species. Our results indicate that kudzu impacts the growth of other plant species via changing the soil microbial community. Native legume species showed lower biomass when grown with kudzu associated soil microbes compared to soil microbes from kudzu-uninvaded sites, while graminoids and a plantain showed higher biomass production. This supports the hypothesis that soil microbial effects are species specific. It also indicates that different root endophytes might be at play. As legumes did respond negatively to the kudzu-associated soil microbes, we assume that other soil microbes besides rhizobia, which are nitrogen fixating bacteria found in the root nodules of legumes, are responsible for the growth promoting effects. We further isolated and identified root endophytic strains via DNA Sanger sequencing and were able to identify known growth promoting bacteria. Understanding how complex belowground interactions influence plant growth is essential for the development of sustainable land management practices. In the future, we may be able to derive biofertilizer from microbes associated with kudzu.