Construction of a synthetic community from the pepper rhizosphere and evaluation of its growth-promoting effects

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20250541

Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis ›› 2026, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (7): 1366-1377.DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20250541

• Horticultural Science • Previous Articles Next Articles

Construction of a synthetic community from the pepper rhizosphere and evaluation of its growth-promoting effects

JIANG Guiwu(), ZHANG Lin, XU Weihui^*(), WANG Zhigang

Heilongjiang Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Agromicrobial Preparation Industrialization, Heilongjiang Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Agrobiological Preparation Industrialization, Heilongjiang Provincial Concept Verification Center of High Concentration Organic Waste Liquid Biotransformation and Industrialization, College of Life Science and Agriculture and Forestry, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar 161006, Heilongjiang, China

Received:2025-08-18 Online:2026-07-25 Published:2026-08-20

Abstract

Abstract:

Excessive fertilization and soil-borne diseases have long restricted the production of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Traditional chemical amendments, though commonly used to alleviate these constraints, tend to cause secondary problems such as soil microecological imbalance and degradation of physicochemical properties after long-term application. In light of this, the present study constructed a functional synthetic microbial community from the pepper rhizosphere and evaluated its growth-promoting effects, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for its application in sustainable pepper production. Building upon 12 strains of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) previously isolated and identified from the pepper rhizosphere in laboratory studies, strains exhibiting nitrogen-fixing, phosphorus-solubilizing, potassium-releasing, and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)-producing properties were selected, and four synthetic microbial communities (Syncom 1-4) were constructed based on principles of functional complementarity. Their growth-promoting effects on pepper were systematically evaluated through pot experiments. The results indicated that Syncom 4 exhibited optimal growth-promoting effects. Compared with single-strain treatments, Syncom 4 demonstrated a significant (p<0.01 or p<0.001) enhanced capacity for biofilm formation, with no observed inter-strain antagonism. This consortium significantly promoted root hair development in pepper seedlings and increased plant biomass. Furthermore, Syncom 4 significantly reduced the pH level and available potassium content inrhizosphere soil. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing revealed that Syncom 4 treatment altered bacterial community structures within pepper roots and the rhizosphere, enriched certain beneficial bacterial taxa, such as Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, Bacillus, Flavobacterium, and Microbacterium. In summary, Syncom 4 exhibits excellent growth-promoting effects on pepper seedlings, providing microbial strain resources and technical support for the development of composite microbial fertilisers for peppers.

Key words: Capsicum annuum L., plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, synthetic bacterial community, growth-promoting effect

CLC Number:

S641.3

JIANG Guiwu, ZHANG Lin, XU Weihui, WANG Zhigang. Construction of a synthetic community from the pepper rhizosphere and evaluation of its growth-promoting effects[J]. Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis, 2026, 38(7): 1366-1377.

Figures/Tables 6

Fig.1 Growth-promoting ability of synthetic bacterial communities CK was treated with either medium without any promoting bacteria or with medium containing the bacterial inoculum, followed by measurement of all relevant growth-promoting parameters. The absence of identical lowercase letters on the columns indicates significant (p<0.05) differences between treatments. The same as Figure 2.

Fig.2 Effect of synthetic bacterial community on seed germination of pepper A, Seedling length; B, Germination index; C, Effect of synthetic bacterial community on root hair of pepper.

Fig.3 Promoting effect of synthetic bacterial community on pepper plants

Fig.4 Effects of Syncom 4 the physicochemical properties of pepper rhizosphere soil * indicates statistically significant (p<0.05) differences; **,*** indicate highly significant (**, p<0.01; ***, p<0.001) differences; ns indicates no significant difference. Figures 5-6 are identical.

Fig.5 Biofilm formation ability of Syncom 4 and its members A, Representative photographs of biofilms formed after in vitro culture; B, Quantitative results of D540 absorbance for biofilm formation.

Fig.6 Effects of Syncom 4 on bacterial communities in root and rhizosphere of pepper A, The β diversity of bacteria in pepper roots; B, The β diversity of bacteria in the rhizosphere of pepper; C, Comparative analysis of genus-level composition in pepper roots; D, Comparative analysis of bacterial genus in pepper rhizosphere between two groups; E, Community composition at genus level in roots; F, Community composition at genus level in the rhizosphere of pepper. *(p<0.05) and **(p<0.01) indicate statistically significant enrichment.

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Construction of a synthetic community from the pepper rhizosphere and evaluation of its growth-promoting effects

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