A healthier microbiome helps transgenic maize to defend herbicide toxicity

Abstract Background Transgenic glyphosate-resistant maize has emerged as a way to expand the use of glyphosate for weed control. Studying the microbiome in transgenic plant and rhizosphere soil is vital for understanding the glyphosate-resistant mechanism and optimizing the transgenic design of crops. Results In our study, the transgenic modification did not affect the initial bacterial community in the leaf, stem, root of maize, but promoted a healthier microbiome in the rhizosphere soil. After glyphosate stimulation, the transgenic maize recruited more beneficial bacteria to regulate biocontrol, N fixation and P solubilization in both plant tissues and the rhizosphere soil than non-transgenic maize. Notably, the re-inoculation of differential Bacillus from transgenic maize into the leaf of glyphosate-sensitive maize resulted in an enhanced photosynthetic capacity in response to glyphosate, demonstrating the vital role of unique Bacillus for glyphosate resistance. Conclusion Our study provides important evidence of transgenic maize tolerance to herbicides from a microbial ecology perspective.