Paper · 2025 · Industrial Crops and Products

Root exudates drive plant-microbiome interactions influencing the quality of cultivated Rheum tanguticum during different growth development stages

Jianan Li; Bo Wang; Huiyuan Ma; et al.

6
claims
12
verbatim quotes
10
citations
2
research areas
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Open access · cc-by-nc-nd

Abstract

Root exudate composition serves as a crucial determinant in shaping the structural assembly and functional dynamics of rhizosphere microbial communities. Despite the critical role of plant-microbe interactions at the rhizosphere interface in mediating plant health and productivity, the mechanistic understanding of how root exudation dynamics regulate microbial community construction throughout the development of perennial plants remains insufficiently characterized. This study focused on Rheum tanguticum Maxim. ex Regel, from which we collected root exudates and microbial samples from the plant-soil continuum during the growth, maturity, and senescence periods. We investigated the feedback regulatory mechanisms of rhizosphere microorganisms mediated by the spatiotemporal dynamics of root exudates and their impact on the contents of bioactive compounds. Our results indicated that the growth development stages significantly altered the composition of root exudates, shifting from primary to secondary metabolites. During the growth and maturity periods, root exudates were primarily composed of organic acids and amino acids, while during the senescence phase, they consisted of amines, benzene, phenolics, and so on. These changes in root exudates significantly impacted the composition and function of the rhizosphere microbial community. Beneficial microbial groups such as Beijerinckiaceae, Propionibacteriaceae, Sphingomonadaceae, and Didymellaceae were inhibited by secondary metabolites like amines and benzene, whereas pathogenic microorganisms, such as TRA3–20 and Pseudeurotiaceae, were promoted. The content of active compounds in the roots significantly decreased during the senescence period, which was closely associated with changes in the abundance of beneficial microbial groups in the rhizosphere. This finding provides novel evidence for elucidating the “root exudates-microbiome-bioactive compounds” cascade regulatory network and offers a theoretical foundation for the precise cultivation of medicinal plants and targeted microbial regulation, which facilitates the transition of herb cultivation from an empirical model to a scientific paradigm. • The bioactive compounds of roots are significantly different across growth stages. • Growth stages shift the root exudates from primary to secondary metabolites. • Primary metabolites recruit probiotics, promoting the bioactive components. • Secondary metabolites recruit pathogens, diminishing the bioactive components.

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Claims 6

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultsignificant (as stated)measured

Claim · model-written summary

Growth development stages significantly altered the composition of root exudates of Rheum tanguticum.

Taxon
Rheum tanguticumRheum tanguticume0
Treatment
growth development stagese1
Outcome
composition of root exudatese1
Direction
alterede1

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Rheum tanguticum
Rheum tanguticum · TaxonSalicyna · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“This study focused on Rheum tanguticum Maxim. ex Regel”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 471–525 · show in text ↑
e1

“Our results indicated that the growth development stages significantly altered the composition of root exudates”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 865–976 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

During the growth and maturity periods, root exudates were mainly organic acids and amino acids.

Taxon
Rheum tanguticumRheum tanguticume0
Organ / stage
growth and maturity periodse2
Outcome
root exudatese2
Qualifier
organic acids and amino acidse2

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Rheum tanguticum
Rheum tanguticum · TaxonSalicyna · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“This study focused on Rheum tanguticum Maxim. ex Regel”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 471–525 · show in text ↑
e2

“During the growth and maturity periods, root exudates were primarily composed of organic acids and amino acids”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1026–1136 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

During the senescence phase, root exudates consisted of amines, benzene and phenolics.

Taxon
Rheum tanguticumRheum tanguticume0
Organ / stage
senescence phasee3
Outcome
root exudatese3
Qualifier
amines, benzene, phenolicse3

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Rheum tanguticum
Rheum tanguticum · TaxonSalicyna · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“This study focused on Rheum tanguticum Maxim. ex Regel”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 471–525 · show in text ↑
e3

“During the growth and maturity periods, root exudates were primarily composed of organic acids and amino acids, while during the senescence phase, they consisted of amines, benzene, phenolics, and so on”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1026–1228 · show in text ↑
Associationobservedoriginal resultnegativemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Secondary metabolites such as amines and benzene inhibited beneficial microbial groups.

Taxon
Rheum tanguticumRheum tanguticume0
Interactor
BeijerinckiaceaeBeijerinckiaceaee4symbiont
Compound
amines and benzenee4
Outcome
Beneficial microbial groupse4
Direction
inhibitede4

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Rheum tanguticum
Rheum tanguticum · TaxonSalicyna · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“This study focused on Rheum tanguticum Maxim. ex Regel”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 471–525 · show in text ↑
e4

“Beneficial microbial groups such as Beijerinckiaceae, Propionibacteriaceae, Sphingomonadaceae, and Didymellaceae were inhibited by secondary metabolites like amines and benzene”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1353–1529 · show in text ↑
Associationobservedoriginal resultnegativemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Secondary metabolites promoted pathogenic microorganisms TRA3–20 and Pseudeurotiaceae in the rhizosphere.

Taxon
Rheum tanguticumRheum tanguticume0
Interactor
TRA3–20e5pathogen
Second interactor
PseudeurotiaceaePseudeurotiaceaee5pathogen
Outcome
pathogenic microorganismse5
Direction
promotede5

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Rheum tanguticum
Rheum tanguticum · TaxonSalicyna · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“This study focused on Rheum tanguticum Maxim. ex Regel”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 471–525 · show in text ↑
e5

“whereas pathogenic microorganisms, such as TRA3–20 and Pseudeurotiaceae, were promoted”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1531–1617 · show in text ↑
Associationobservedoriginal resultnegativesignificant (as stated)measured

Claim · model-written summary

Content of active compounds in the roots decreased during the senescence period.

Taxon
Rheum tanguticumRheum tanguticume0
Organ / stage
rootse6
Outcome
content of active compoundse6
Direction
decreasede6
Qualifier
senescence periode6

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Rheum tanguticum
Rheum tanguticum · TaxonSalicyna · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“This study focused on Rheum tanguticum Maxim. ex Regel”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 471–525 · show in text ↑
e6

“The content of active compounds in the roots significantly decreased during the senescence period”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1619–1716 · show in text ↑