Disclosing the native blueberry rhizosphere community in Portugal-an integrated metagenomic and isolation approach.

Backgorund: The production of red fruits, such as blueberry, has been threatened by several stressors from severe periods of drought, nutrient scarcity, phytopathogens, and costs with fertilization programs with adverse consequences. Thus, there is an urgent need to increase this crop's resilience whilst promoting sustainable agriculture. Plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) constitute not only a solution to tackle water and nutrient deficits in soils, but also as a control against phytopathogens and as green compounds for agricultural practices. Methods: In this study, a metagenomic approach of the local fungal and bacterial community of the rhizosphere of Results: Results showed a high relative abundance of Discussion: This work revealed a native microbial community capable of establishing mycorrhizal relationships, and with beneficial physiological traits for blueberry production. It was also possible to isolate several naturally-occurring microorganisms that are known to have plant growth-promoting activity and confer tolerance to hydric stress, a serious climate change threat. Future studies should be performed with these isolates to disclose their efficiency in conferring the needed resilience for this and several crops.