DNA SEQUENCES DATA FOR PCN INFESTED SOILS

This research is titled: Metagenomic characterization of bacterial abundance and diversity in potato cyst nematode suppressive and conducive potato rhizosphere. It investigates how bacterial communities in the rhizosphere of symptomatic (conducive) and asymptomatic (suppressive) potato plants differ in composition and function, particularly in their potential role in suppressing potato cyst nematodes (PCN). Our findings reveal that bacterial families such as Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae dominate suppressive rhizosphere soils, suggesting that their abundance and diversity are closely linked to nematode suppression. The evidence is derived from metagenomic sequencing and functional annotation of bacterial communities. We analyzed taxonomic and functional diversity across 180 soil samples from symptomatic and asymptomatic plants in Nyandarua and Nyeri counties, Kenya. Tools such as MetaPhlAn and KEGG provided insights into microbial composition and functional pathways, including iron acquisition and nutrient cycling. This study contributes to our understanding of soil microbiome dynamics in agricultural settings and highlights specific bacterial taxa and functional pathways that could serve as biocontrol agents against PCN. We present the first metagenomic report of microbial ecology in PCN-infested potato rhizosphere in Kenya. The study also identifies functional genes associated with soil suppressiveness, such as those involved in iron transport and chemotaxis, which could serve as biomarkers for soil health.