Soil texture is a stronger driver of the maize rhizosphere microbiome and extracellular enzyme activities than soil depth or the presence of root hairs

Abstract Aims Different drivers are known to shape rhizosphere microbiome assembly. How soil texture (Texture) and presence or lack of root hairs (Root Hair) plants affect the assembly potential extracellular enzyme activities (EEA) at defined rooting depth (Depth) is still a knowledge gap. We investigated effects these on microbial in EEA root-affected maize. Methods Samples were taken from three depths hair defective mutant rth3 wild-type WT maize planted loam sand columns after 22 days. Rhizosphere bacterial, archaeal, fungal cercozoan communities analysed by sequencing 16S rRNA gene, ITS 18S gene fragments. Soil ß-glucosidase, acid phosphatase chitinase estimated using fluorogenic substrates. Results The archaeal alpha- beta-diversities significantly strongly altered Texture, followed Depth Root Hair. Texture had small impact assembly, only beta-diversity was affected. Significant impacts Hair relative abundances taxonomic levels bacteria, archaea, fungi cercozoa dependent Texture. Likewise, patterns trends communities, correlated with several taxa. Conclusions strongest driver EEA, Hair, similarly findings architecture plant expression studies.