Pilidium lythri : A Climate-Driven Disruptor of Plant-Associated Microbiomes and Ecological Stability

Although ongoing global warming is an important driver of phytopathogen spread to new areas, little is known on how fungal pathogens disrupt fragile balance in plant-microbe interactions. After assessing high adaptability of emerging Pilidium lythri to growing temperatures, we analysed its impact on microbiome structure of soil (bulk soil, rhizosphere) and strawberry plant (roots) niches. For this, we employed high-throughput marker sequencing and various statistical models. Our results revealed that P. lythri infection disrupted microbial community assembly processes, transitioning from deterministic to stochastic dynamics in the rhizosphere and bulk soil, aligning with the Anna Karenina Principle. Fungal microbiome diversity increased locally in infected rhizospheres, while microbial migration patterns highlighted shifts in community interactions. Network analysis underscored P. lythri ’s role in destabilizing fungal community connectivity, enhancing antagonistic interactions, and occupying a central ecological niche. This study provides valuable insights into how spreading phytopathogens modulate microbial equilibrium in the plant holobiont, with implications of managing emerging threats in agriculture.