Vol. 119 No. 1 (2025)
Research Papers

Impact of rhizosphere microbial communities on yield-related traits of six onion (Allium cepa L.) genotypes

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  • Rania Aydi Ben Abdallah,
  • Hela Chikh-Rouhou,
  • Hayfa Jabnoun-Khiareddine,
  • Mejda Daami-Remadi
Rania Aydi Ben Abdallah
LR21AGR03-Production and Protection for a Sustainable Horticulture (2PHD), IRESA-University of Sousse, Regional Research Centre on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture, Chott Mariem, Tunisia
Hela Chikh-Rouhou
LR21AGR03-Production and Protection for a Sustainable Horticulture (2PHD), IRESA-University of Sousse, Regional Research Centre on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture, Chott Mariem, Tunisia.
Hayfa Jabnoun-Khiareddine
LR21AGR03-Production and Protection for a Sustainable Horticulture (2PHD), IRESA-University of Sousse, Regional Research Centre on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture, Chott Mariem, Tunisia.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/jaeid-16494

Published 2025-07-08

Keywords

  • Breeding,
  • Bulb production,
  • onion,
  • rhizosphere microbial population

How to Cite

Aydi Ben Abdallah, R., Chikh-Rouhou, H., Jabnoun-Khiareddine, H., & Daami-Remadi, M. (2025). Impact of rhizosphere microbial communities on yield-related traits of six onion (Allium cepa L.) genotypes . Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development (JAEID), 119(1), 173–182. https://doi.org/10.36253/jaeid-16494

Copyright (c) 2025 Rania Aydi Ben Abdallah, Hela Chikh-Rouhou, Hayfa Jabnoun-Khiareddine, Mejda Daami-Remadi

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

Microbial communities play an important role in plant functioning and development. The microbial population structure in the rhizosphere of six onion genotypes CRB, OPNB, CRR, OPNR, CRJ and OPNJ was monitored at three sampling times using the soil dilution plating technique. Onion genotypes were also screened for their plant growth and bulb production parameters. The total bacterial, Pseudomonas fluorescens and actinobacterial populations increased from 38 to 71% with the increase of plant growth stages compared to the status before planting. As for the fungal population, a decrease by 43-51% was recorded at harvest. Only bacterial and actinobacterial populations varied upon onion genotypes. The average bulb weight was 24.2-46.8 and 32.8-52.8% significantly higher in the OPNR and OPNJ genotypes compared to OPNB, CRJ and CRB and similar to CRR. Based on Principal Component Analysis, the total and average bulb weights were positively correlated to the total fungal and Aspergillus spp. populations in the first group and to P. fluorescens and actinobacteria populations in the second one.

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