Paper · 2025 · Applied and Environmental Microbiology

Pepper root exudate attenuates snap bean root rot by mediating microbial community remodeling

Ying Li; Le Liu; Huaiyuan Teng; et al.

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claims
20
verbatim quotes
0
citations
3
research areas
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Open access · cc-by

Abstract

ABSTRACT Intercropping, as a sustainable agricultural practice, has shown potential to reduce soil-borne diseases through rhizosphere microbial community remodeling. However, whether pepper ( Capsicum annuum L .) confers this benefit to snap bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L .) remains unclear. This study investigated the disease-suppressive effects of exogenously applied pepper root exudates using pot experiments. In vitro assays were used to validate the biocontrol efficacy of antagonistic bacteria and a key flavonoid metabolite (Chrysin). High-throughput sequencing and untargeted metabolomics were combined to analyze changes in the snap bean rhizosphere microbial community and root exudate profiles under pathogen stress. Compared to the treatment inoculated only with Fusarium solani ( F. solani ) (CKI), the treatment applying root exudates plus F. solani (REI) exhibited a substantial reduction in F. solani abundance, enhanced plant antioxidant enzyme activities, as well as markedly alleviated snap bean root rot symptoms. Furthermore, the REI treatment significantly altered rhizosphere microbial community composition by selectively enriching beneficial microbes (e.g., Actinobacteria, Ascomycota, Streptomyces , Saccharothrix ), enhanced the complexity and stability of the bacterial-fungal cross-domain network, and formed a pathogen antagonism network centered on Streptomyces . Moreover, the REI treatment induced the secretion of flavone compounds (e.g., Chrysin) from snap bean roots, whose relative abundance demonstrated an essential positive correlation with Streptomyces and a significant negative correlation with Fusarium . The findings indicate that exogenous application of pepper root exudates mitigates the incidence of snap bean root rot by restructuring the rhizosphere microbial community and promoting the synthesis of endogenous flavone metabolites in the host plant. This study provides a basis for environmentally friendly vegetable disease management and supports the advancement of sustainable agricultural practices. IMPORTANCE Root rot induced by Fusarium solani poses a serious threat to snap bean production and the sustainable development of agriculture. Long-term continuous cropping intensifies the incidence of soilborne diseases. Conventional chemical control methods are frequently less effective against these diseases and may result in issues, such as the development of pathogen resistance, a decline in soil microbial diversity, and environmental contamination. Despite the fact that intercropping snap beans with peppers can reduce the incidence of snap bean root rot, the precise mechanisms through which pepper root exudates confer this protective effect remain inadequately understood. This study demonstrates that pepper root exudates can effectively reduce the occurrence of snap bean root rot by reshaping the microbial community and inducing the secretion of plant defense metabolites. The significance of this research lies in elucidating the key mechanisms and application potential of pepper root exudates in enhancing snap bean resistance to root rot, thereby providing essential theoretical foundations and practical guidance for the development of novel biological agents and the advancement of green agriculture.

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Claims 10

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Pepper root exudates reduced Fusarium solani abundance in inoculated snap bean compared with pathogen inoculation alone.

Taxon
snap beane1
Treatment
root exudates plus F. solani (REI)e0
Interactor
Fusarium solaniFusarium solanie0pathogen
Outcome
F. solani abundancee0
Direction
reductione0
Comparator
treatment inoculated only with Fusarium solani ( F. solani ) (CKI)e0

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

Fusarium solani
Fusarium solani · InteractorFred Brooks from United States University of Hawaii at Manoa · CC BY 3.0 us · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Compared to the treatment inoculated only with Fusarium solani ( F. solani ) (CKI), the treatment applying root exudates plus F. solani (REI) exhibited a substantial reduction in F. solani abundance”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 728–926 · show in text ↑
e1

“pepper ( Capsicum annuum L .) confers this benefit to snap bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L .)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 183–272 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Pepper root exudates enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities in inoculated snap bean.

Taxon
snap beane1
Treatment
root exudates plus F. solani (REI)e0
Interactor
F. solaniFusarium solanie0pathogen
Outcome
plant antioxidant enzyme activitiese0
Direction
enhancede0

Not reportedComparator

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

Fusarium solani
Fusarium solani · InteractorFred Brooks from United States University of Hawaii at Manoa · CC BY 3.0 us · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“the treatment applying root exudates plus F. solani (REI) exhibited a substantial reduction in F. solani abundance, enhanced plant antioxidant enzyme activities”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 812–972 · show in text ↑
e1

“pepper ( Capsicum annuum L .) confers this benefit to snap bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L .)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 183–272 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Pepper root exudates alleviated snap bean root rot symptoms.

Taxon
snap beane0
Treatment
root exudates plus F. solani (REI)e1
Interactor
Fusarium solaniFusarium solanie2pathogen
Outcome
snap bean root rot symptomse0
Direction
alleviatede0

Not reportedComparator

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

Fusarium solani
Fusarium solani · InteractorFred Brooks from United States University of Hawaii at Manoa · CC BY 3.0 us · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“markedly alleviated snap bean root rot symptoms”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 985–1032 · show in text ↑
e1

“the treatment applying root exudates plus F. solani (REI)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 812–869 · show in text ↑
e2

“Fusarium solani ( F. solani )”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 775–804 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultsignificant (as stated)measured

Claim · model-written summary

Root exudate treatment significantly altered snap bean rhizosphere microbial community composition.

Taxon
snap beane1
Treatment
REI treatmente0
Outcome
rhizosphere microbial community compositione0

Not reportedComparatorDirection

Verbatim

e0

“the REI treatment significantly altered rhizosphere microbial community composition”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1047–1130 · show in text ↑
e1

“snap bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L .)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 237–272 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Root exudate treatment enriched Actinobacteria, Ascomycota and Streptomyces in the snap bean rhizosphere.

Taxon
snap beane2
Treatment
REI treatmente1
Interactor
ActinobacteriaActinomycetotae0symbiont
Outcome
Actinobacteria, Ascomycota, Streptomycese0
Direction
enrichinge0
Qualifier
Ascomycota, Streptomyces , Saccharothrixe0

Not reportedComparator

Verbatim

e0

“selectively enriching beneficial microbes (e.g., Actinobacteria, Ascomycota, Streptomyces , Saccharothrix )”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1134–1241 · show in text ↑
e1

“the REI treatment significantly altered rhizosphere microbial community composition”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1047–1130 · show in text ↑
e2

“snap bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L .)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 237–272 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Root exudate treatment enhanced bacterial-fungal network complexity and stability in the snap bean rhizosphere.

Taxon
snap beane2
Treatment
REI treatmente1
Outcome
complexity and stability of the bacterial-fungal cross-domain networke0
Direction
enhancede0

Not reportedComparator

Verbatim

e0

“enhanced the complexity and stability of the bacterial-fungal cross-domain network”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1243–1325 · show in text ↑
e1

“the REI treatment significantly altered rhizosphere microbial community composition”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1047–1130 · show in text ↑
e2

“snap bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L .)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 237–272 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Root exudate treatment formed a snap bean rhizosphere pathogen antagonism network centered on Streptomyces.

Taxon
snap beane1
Interactor
StreptomycesStreptomycese0biocontrol_agent
Outcome
pathogen antagonism network centered on Streptomycese0

Not reportedDirection

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

Streptomyces
Streptomyces · Interactor · picture of the genus (one of its species)Public domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“formed a pathogen antagonism network centered on Streptomyces”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1331–1392 · show in text ↑
e1

“snap bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L .)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 237–272 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Root exudate treatment induced secretion of Chrysin and other flavones from snap bean roots.

Taxon
snap beane0
Organ / stage
snap bean rootse0
Treatment
REI treatmente0
Outcome
secretion of flavone compounds (e.g., Chrysin)e0
Direction
inducede0

Not reportedComparator

Verbatim

e0

“the REI treatment induced the secretion of flavone compounds (e.g., Chrysin) from snap bean roots”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1405–1502 · show in text ↑
Associationobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Flavone relative abundance correlated positively with Streptomyces in snap bean roots.

Taxon
snap beane0
Organ / stage
snap bean rootse0
Interactor
StreptomycesStreptomycese0biocontrol_agent
Outcome
relative abundancee0
Direction
positivee0

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

Streptomyces
Streptomyces · Interactor · picture of the genus (one of its species)Public domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“flavone compounds (e.g., Chrysin) from snap bean roots, whose relative abundance demonstrated an essential positive correlation with Streptomyces”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1448–1593 · show in text ↑
Associationobservedoriginal resultpositivesignificant (as stated)measured

Claim · model-written summary

Flavone relative abundance correlated negatively with Fusarium in snap bean roots.

Taxon
snap beane0
Organ / stage
snap bean rootse0
Interactor
FusariumFusariume0pathogen
Outcome
relative abundancee0
Direction
negativee0

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

Fusarium
Fusarium · Interactor · picture of the genus (one of its species)Public domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“flavone compounds (e.g., Chrysin) from snap bean roots, whose relative abundance demonstrated an essential positive correlation with Streptomyces and a significant negative correlation with Fusarium”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1448–1646 · show in text ↑

allelopathy · pest · Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean)Positive and negative results

3 papers: 1 positive, 2 negative or no effect

2 in the opposite direction

  1. no effect
  2. no effect
See all 3 papers →

Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.