Diazotrophic Paenibacillus beijingensis drives microbial community variation in the rhizosphereof maize

Inoculation with P. beijingensis BJ-18 altered the community structures of bacteria and fungi in the rhizosphere. Inoculation significantly enriched Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes in the rhizosphere. Each habitat of rhizosphere had its specific bacterial and fungal communities. Inoculation significantly increased the abundance of beneficial microbes, such as Pseudomonas, Paenibacillus, Lysobacter and Bacillus, and decreased the abundance of pathogenic fungi Fusarium and Gibberella.