MdUGT88F1 modulates apple rhizosphere microbiota to control replant disease in China (microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com)

• MdUGT88F1-RNAi plants show increased ARD tolerance with reduced phloridzin and pathogen abundance.
• Multi-omics analysis identifies Bacillaceae enrichment in RNAi rhizosphere upon pathogen invasion.
• Enhanced sugar exudation (D-tagatose, sucrose) promotes Bacillus growth and inhibits Fusarium.
• Synthetic Bacillus community reduces Fusarium density and improves plant growth in replant soil.

"A study from Northwest A&F University demonstrates that the apple gene MdUGT88F1 regulates resistance to apple replant disease (ARD) by shaping the rhizosphere microbiome. RNAi-silenced plants showed reduced disease severity and lower abundance of the pathogen Fusarium proliferatum MR5. Multi-omics analysis revealed enrichment of Bacillaceae in the rhizosphere, promoted by increased root exudation of sugars including D-tagatose and sucrose. A synthetic Bacillus community reduced Fusarium density and enhanced plant growth. The findings support prebiotic strategies for green control of ARD."