Exploring Close-Rotation Microbiome Dysbiosis in Legumes

Panturat, Supakan (2025) Exploring Close-Rotation Microbiome Dysbiosis in Legumes. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

Food insecurity remains a significant global challenge, with millions of people lacking reliable access to sufficient and nutritious food. Moving towards more sustainable farming systems is one way to address this challenge, as these approaches aim to balance crop production with environment responsibility. Among food crops, legumes are recognised as important source of plant-based protein. However, a major problem for increasing legume production is the decline in yield caused by close rotation. Close rotation, or the repeated cultivation of the same crop on the same land, is a common practice to maximise the crop production. This practice often leads to negative consequences for soil health. However, the underlying impact of soil microbial community has not been well-studied. In this study, the impact of close rotation on the rhizosphere community was investigated. Close rotation was mimicked by replanting pea (Pisum sativum) using the same soil throughout three harvests. Through a combination of amplicon sequencing, genotypic profiling, and phenotypic assays, the results showed that close rotation shaped the pea rhizosphere community. Bacterial and fungal diversity decreased after close rotation, and specific taxa groups such as the Proteobacteria were recruited. The enrichment of Rhizobium spp. with plant growth–promoting traits were observed. Pseudomonas spp. populations displayed back-and-forth dynamics of selection during close rotation. These phenomena suggest adaptive responses within the rhizosphere community. In addition, the bacterial natural community obtained after close rotation was tested to determine the effect on pea health. The result showed that soil isolates can enhance plant growth and exhibited a trend of reduced disease symptoms. This finding illustrates the possibilities for microbiome training under close rotation. Overall, this study contributes to a broader understanding of how cropping practices shape the plant–microbe interactions which could help in developing microbial biocontrol approaches and support more sustainable farming practices.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	09 Feb 2026 09:25
Last Modified:	09 Feb 2026 09:25
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/101863
DOI:

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