Culturable bacterial community analysis in the root domains of two varieties of tree peony (Paeonia ostii)

A total of 985 bacterial strains with different colony characteristics were isolated from the root of tree peony plants (variety 'Fengdan' and 'Lan Furong'); 69 operational taxonomic units were identified by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis. Representatives of each group were selected for partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The major groups in the bulk soil, rhizosphere, and rhizoplane of Fengdan were Firmicutes (63.2%), Actinobacteria (36.3%), and Betaproteobacteria (53.0%), respectively. The major bacteria groups in the bulk soil, rhizosphere, and rhizoplane of Lan Furong were Actinobacteria (34.8%), Gammaproteobacteria (45.2%), and Betaproteobacteria (49.1%), respectively. In total, the bacterial isolates comprised 26 genera--14 in the bulk soil, 14 in the rhizosphere, and 11 in the rhizoplane. The most common genus in the bulk soil of Fengdan and Lan Furong was Bacillus (49.6% and 32.6%, respectively), in the rhizosphere Microbacterium (21.1%) and Pseudomonas (42.0%), and in the rhizoplane Variovorax (53.0% and 49.1%, respectively). The results show that there are obvious differences in the bacterial communities in the three root domains of the two varieties, and the plants exerted selective pressures on their associated bacterial populations. The host genotypes also influenced the distribution pattern of the bacterial community.