ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Microbe and Virus Interactions with Plants
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1654776
Understanding the Impact of Soil Microbiome on Strawberry Growth and Nutritional Profiles
Provisionally accepted
Min-Jin Kwak
Sriniwas Pandey
Yuting Zhai
Bugil Choi
Thanyachanok Sutthanonkul
Won Suk Lee*
Kwangcheol Casey Jeong*- University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
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The rhizosphere microbiome plays an important role in plant growth, nutrient acquisition, and overall health. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the rhizosphere microbiome and the health status of strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) under identical soil and environmental conditions.Strawberry plants were categorized into a healthy group (H) and an unhealthy group (UH) based on morphological characteristics, and the soil microbial community was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The H group exhibited significantly higher nitrogen concentrations, whereas the UH group showed excessive accumulation of iron, manganese, zinc, and copper. Microbiota analysis revealed distinct structural differences between the H and UH groups, with several bacterial taxa displaying significant differences in relative abundance. Notably, Microvirga and JG30-KF-CM45 emerged as key bacterial taxa associated with plant nutrient status. Microvirga was positively correlated with nitrogen levels but negatively associated with micronutrient accumulation, while JG30-KF-CM45 showed the opposite trend. Furthermore, co-occurrence network analysis indicated that microbial communities in the UH group were characterized by intensified competitive interactions, which may contribute to rhizosphere microbiome destabilization and impaired plant growth. These findings indicate that microbial interactions within the rhizosphere influence nutrient homeostasis and plant health. The observed microbial imbalances in UH plants suggest the importance of maintaining a stable microbial community for improved crop productivity. This study provides valuable insights into the role of rhizosphere microbiome in sustainable strawberry cultivation and underscores the potential of microbiome-based strategies to improve plant health and productivity.
Keywords: Rhizosphere microbiome, strawberry, nutrient uptake, Food security, Food Safety
Received: 27 Jun 2025; Accepted: 22 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Kwak, Pandey, Zhai, Choi, Sutthanonkul, Lee and Jeong. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Won Suk Lee, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
Kwangcheol Casey Jeong, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
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