GenoRhizo
Plant genetic variation influences rhizosphere microbiome assembly, but the relative importance of taxonomic versus functional changes remains unclear. This study investigates the impact of plant genotype on rhizosphere microbial communities using the model legume Medicago truncatula. Seven genetically contrasted genotypes originating from desert and Mediterranean environments were grown in a common soil under controlled conditions. Rhizosphere samples were collected at the late vegetative stage, with six biological replicates per genotype obtained by pooling three plants per replicate. DNA was extracted from rhizosphere soil using a standardized protocol (ISO 11063). Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was performed on an Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform, generating 125 bp paired-end reads, with an average sequencing depth of approximately 61 million read pairs per sample. Metagenomic data were analyzed using a combination of read-based taxonomic profiling, genome-resolved metagenomics, and gene-centric functional approaches to assess the effects of plant genotype on microbial community structure and functional potential. This dataset provides a resource to explore how plant genetic variation influences rhizosphere microbiome composition and functional capacities.