Rhizosphere microbial community composition associated with growth differences in Korean-grown highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.)

The rhizosphere, the soil zone influenced by root exudates and microbial activity, plays a pivotal role in plant microbe interactions and overall plant health. Rhizosphere microbial communities play a pivotal role in plant growth and nutrient acquisition. This study aimed to characterize the bacterial communities associated with phenotypically distinct highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. 'Duke') plants cultivated under uniform field conditions. Rhizosphere soils were sampled from four plants, two of which exhibited superior growth performance and two showing poor growth. Fruit-related traits including weight, diameter, Brix, and titratable acidity were recorded as growth indicators. Amplicon sequencing targeting the V3 V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was performed using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Alpha and beta diversity analyses showed that communities with distinct dominant species composition resulted in stronger fruit production. Taxonomic analysis of the rhizosphere of plants showed that genera with the potential to promote plant growth, such as Bacillus and chujaibacter, were more abundant in samples with positive growth. These results suggest a potential positive association between blueberry growth performance and rhizosphere microbial composition.