Microbiome variation among tomato rootstocks
Root-associated microbiomes (complex communities of bacteria, fungi, and other micro-organisms) have profound impacts on the health of their host plants. These microbiomes are sensitive to certain host traits, which in turn are partially or largely defined by the host plant's genes. Understanding genetic determinants of plant-associated microbiomes has implications both for understanding how these symbioses evolved, and for leveraging microbiome functions for crop improvement. Here, we used high-throughput sequencing of the v4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene to investigate bacterial community composition in the roots and rhizosphere of grafted tomato plants. Isogenic scions (M82) were grafted either onto Maxifort rootstock or M82 (self) rootstock, planted in the field, and later sampled for metabarcoding.