The role of rhizosphere microbial community structure in the growth and development of different tea cultivars

The community structure of soil rhizosphere microorganisms is critical for tea plant growth, but few studies have examined how rhizosphere microorganisms from different tea cultivars affect the plant growth and underlying mechanisms. The study investigated the environment of soils, including rhizosphere microorganisms, soil nutrient levels, enzyme activity, as well as the growth parameters, including Fv/Fm value, N content, SPAD value and vegetation indexes of four tea cultivars. The results showed that the structure of the soil microbial community varied according to tea cultivar types, which was manifested in α diversity, microbial genus level, and bacterial communities. The soil nutrient content and soil enzyme activity had significant differences among tea cultivars, especially the absorption and transformation of nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as organic matters. The rhizosphere microorganisms of different cultivars had certain effects on tea canopy index. A strong correlation was observed between microbial communities and the vegetation index. Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Actinobacteriota, and other microorganisms may be the key species affecting the phenotype of tea plants. The study demonstrates that different tea cultivars select or recruit their own unique microbial communities, affecting soil nutrient uptake and tea plant phenotype. The study enhances our mechanistic understanding of plant-soil interactions among different tea cultivars. [Display omitted] •Different tea cultivars were able to select or recruit their own unique microbial communities, affecting soil nutrients and phenotype.•These four tea cultivars interacted differently with bacteria and fungi, had a strong ability to recruit bacteria.•The spectral characteristics and vegetation index of different tea cultivars were evaluated by hyperspectral imaging.