Maize functional requirements drive the selection of rhizobacteria under long-term fertilization practices

Beneficial interactions between rhizosphere microbes and soil are pivotal for crop fitness. Nevertheless, the principles underlying the assembly of rhizosphere microbiomes across various soils and nutrient status remain elusive. Here, we examined the microbiomes in the rhizosphere and bulk soils of maize grown under three soil types with fertilization for at least 29 years. We conclude that maize selects rhizobacteria based on microbial functional traits beneficial to its own performance not solely on species composition.