Effects of Dark Septate Endophyte (DSE) Inoculation on the Bacterial Community of Panax notoginseng under Arsenic Stress

Arsenic (As) contamination poses a significant threat to crop productivity and food safety. Panax notoginseng, a valuable medicinal herb, is often cultivated in regions with potential arsenic pollution. Dark septate endophytes (DSE) are known to enhance host plant tolerance to heavy metal stress, but their impact on the associated bacterial microbiota remains largely unexplored. This study investigates the synergistic effects of DSE inoculation on the root-associated and rhizosphere bacterial community of Panax notoginseng under arsenic stress. We established a pot experiment with four treatments: (1) control (non-stress, non-inoculated), (2) As stress only, (3) DSE inoculation only, and (4) combined As stress and DSE inoculation. The bacterial communities were profiled by high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene (V3-V4 region). Our findings aim to elucidate the mechanisms by which DSE fungi modulate the bacterial microbiome to enhance plant resilience in heavy metal-contaminated soils, providing insights for developing sustainable agricultural strategies.