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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Crop Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #371280
Research Project: Management of the National Collection of Carya Genetic Resources and Associated Information

Location: Crop Germplasm Research

Title: Pecan seedling microbiome composition may be influenced by geographical location and host genetics

Author
item CERVANTES, KIMBERLY - New Mexico State University
item Grauke, Larry
item Wang, Xinwang
item CONNER, PATRICK - University Of Georgia
item Bock, Clive
item RANDALL, JENNIFER - New Mexico State University

Submitted to: Plant and Animal Genome Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/10/2019
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Native populations of pecan (Carya illinoinensis) occur from Iowa, U.S.A. to Oaxaca, Mexico. Host genetics and environmental factors may play a role in microbiome composition, which can affect site adaptation and ultimately tree health. Therefore, it is important to elucidate the influence of geographical location and genetics on the microbial populations of pecan. To further investigate the bacterial and fungal composition of the pecan microbiome, we determined the microbial composition of seedlings from a controlled cross ('Lakota' × 87Mx3-2.11), grown from seed produced in two different geographical locations, Georgia and Texas. Seeds were planted in a soilless potting mix and grown in a quarantine facility. Total DNA was extracted from ten seedlings and sequenced using NGS technology. The resulting sequences were used to determine the bacterial and fungal compositions. Data was analyzed with the Qiagen CLC Microbial Genomics Module using the SILVA and UNITE databases. Initial 16S and 18S results indicate that all samples share many of the same classes of bacteria and fungi, respectively, but with some differences apparently based on geographical origin of the seed. For instance, the analyses revealed an association of Methanomicrobia, associated with brackish water such as found in GA, was identified in three of the GA samples while only in one of the TX samples. Recent innovations in microbiome analysis allow for the elucidation of the pecan microbiome composition which is important for understanding the contributions that the microbes make to the adaptation of this complex tree system.