Divergent belowground carbon allocation patterns of winter wheat shape rhizosphere microbial communities and nitrogen cycling activities

Plant roots add carbon (C) -rich rhizodeposits to the soil, which can alter microbial activity and nitrogen (N) cycling with implications for N availability uptake by plants. We evaluated root architecture, rhizodeposit C, community structure function across a breeding gradient of twelve winter wheat genotypes examined how these rhizosphere traits were related from fresh cover crop residues in soil. traced wheat-derived C into soil pools using continuous isotopic labelling (13C–CO2) applied 15N labelled plant quantify residue-derived N. Wheat differed allocation patterns, influencing cycling. Thicker released more enhanced mineralization through stimulation biomass. Microbial biomass increased N-cycling enzyme residue N-uptake wheat. communities did not differ between but strongly patterns allocation, several genera showed strong relationships deposition uptake. The associated extractable root-derived was structurally different uptake, indicating that necessarily carried out same members as those stimulated inputs. Our results indicate differential rhizodeposition belowground strategies influence Ecologically-based nutrient management agricultural systems should consider role microbiomes optimize dynamics.