Abstract
In this study, we explored the relationship between ecologically distinct soil/compost microbiomes and their role in plant growth promotion through organic matter (OM) decomposition. Using a controlled experimental system, we tested whether living microbiomes from geographically and ecologically distinct environments impact plant biomass when provided with OM in the form of dried, ground leaves sourced from pre-flowering Avena barbata to mimic cover cropping conditions with annual grasses. Results showed a consistent threefold increase in plant biomass when a living microbiome and OM were present, regardless of the microbiome's origin, which included agricultural fields, desert soil, and pine-oak forest soil; municipal compost; and the microbiome on unautoclaved OM. Bacterial community profiling based on 16S amplicon sequencing revealed genera (e.g., Massilia) that were significantly associated with decomposition and plant growth promotion. This suggests a conserved functional capacity within specific taxa for plant growth promotion via OM decomposition across diverse microbiomes, likely due to evolutionary pressures, to efficiently break down plant material for nutrient acquisition. The study provides a framework for further investigation into microbial consortia that enhance plant growth via decomposition, offering a robust experimental system to identify microbes and microbial processes that could be harnessed to improve nutrient uptake from organic inputs such as cover crops. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2026 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license .
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Claims 2
Claim · model-written summary
A living microbiome with organic matter increased Brachypodium distachyon plant biomass threefold.
- Taxon
- Brachypodium distachyon
Brachypodium distachyont0 - Treatment
- living microbiome and OMe1
- Interactor
- living microbiomee1symbiont
- Outcome
- plant biomasse1
- Direction
- increasee1
- Value
- threefolde1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Brachypodium distachyon”
e1“Results showed a consistent threefold increase in plant biomass when a living microbiome and OM were present”
Claim · model-written summary
Genera such as Massilia were significantly associated with decomposition and plant growth promotion in Brachypodium distachyon.
- Taxon
- Brachypodium distachyonBrachypodium distachyont0
- Outcome
- plant growth promotione2
- Direction
- associatede2
MassiliaOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Brachypodium distachyon”
e2“revealed genera (e.g., Massilia) that were significantly associated with decomposition and plant growth promotion”