Search Results (33)

Exogenous nutrient bags are essential for the artificial cultivation of Morchella sextelata, but the effects of different formulations on yield, nutritional quality, and the soil microecological environment remain unclear. In this study, nine exogenous nutrient bag formulations and one conventional treatment (CK) were evaluated during M. sextelata cultivation. Fruiting time, fresh and dry yields, and nutritional quality indicators were measured, and principal component analysis combined with membership function analysis was used for comprehensive evaluation. Soil physicochemical properties were determined for all treatments, and A7, A3, and CK were selected to represent the best-performing, worst-performing, and conventional treatments, respectively, for soil microbial community analysis. Different formulations significantly affected agronomic and nutritional traits (p < 0.01). A6 showed the shortest fruiting time and the highest fresh and dry yields, whereas A7 had the highest polysaccharide content and ranked first in the comprehensive evaluation. The D values of A7, A6, and CK were 0.789, 0.777, and 0.653, respectively. Soil nutrient analysis showed that morel cultivation markedly altered soil nutrient structure, especially available nutrients and phosphorus-related indicators. Microbial analysis showed that A7 had the highest bacterial richness among the three sequenced treatments and stronger colonization by M. sextelata. Its bacterial and fungal communities were also more closely associated with soil organic carbon. Overall, A6 was more suitable for yield-oriented production, whereas A7 showed the best comprehensive performance when yield, nutritional quality, and soil ecological characteristics were considered together. Full article

Efficient cultivation is essential for the rose industry. Both substrate formulation and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) application both critical, yet their synergistic effects remain limited. This study investigated the synergistic effects of Bacillus subtilis (Bs) and Priestia megaterium (Pm) combined with five substrate formulations on the growth physiology, photosynthetic characteristics, and soil properties of Rosa × hybrida ‘Ruby’. Two-way ANOVA revealed significant interactions between substrate and PGPR treatments for most growth and physiological indicators. Orthogonal experiments demonstrated that specific PGPR–substrate combinations significantly enhanced plant growth and photosynthetic performance of the studied cultivar, as well as soil quality. Principal component analysis and membership function analysis identified four substrate–PGPR combinations as optimal, with the T4 substrate (humus/perlite/vermiculite/coconut coir/peat/biochar = 5:1.5:1:1:1:0.5) showing the most pronounced effects. In this T4 substrate, PGPR inoculation significantly altered the rhizobacterial community structure. LEfSe analysis revealed 67 enriched microbial biomarkers—substantially more than single-strain treatments. The relative abundance of beneficial genera such as Acidibacter and Chryseotalea increased, and the combined bacterial treatment enhanced functional pathways associated with signal transduction, cell motility, and RNA processing. Compared to single-strain treatments, the combined bacterial application demonstrated superior regulatory effects on plant growth. The optimal combined treatments increased plant height by up to 42.7%, root activity by 103.0%, soluble protein content by 302.8%, and soil ammonium nitrogen by 168.8%. These findings demonstrated that tailored combinations of PGPR and cultivation substrates highlight the potential for optimizing rose cultivation and improving the rhizosphere microecological environment. Full article

To enhance the benefits and ecological safety of tomato residue retention, this study evaluated the regulatory effects of conventional ambient temperature retention (CR) and solar high-temperature retention (TR) on the initial soil environment and rhizosphere microecology of subsequent crops (continuous tomato and rotational cucumber). The results showed that CR promoted the accumulation of humic acid and increased the contents of phenolic acids and small-molecule organic acids in the soil. TR also increased small-molecule organic acids but primarily enriched fulvic acid, accompanied by higher concentrations of phenolic acids. Regarding microecological responses, CR enriched potential plant-growth-promoting bacteria (Pseudomonas, Sphingomonas, Lysobacter) in the rhizosphere, but it also increased the relative abundance of the potential pathogen Fusarium. In contrast, TR promoted the colonization of heat-tolerant beneficial biocontrol microbes (Bacillus, Chaetomium, Mycothermus), with no Fusarium enrichment observed. Redundancy analysis and Mantel tests revealed that the changes in soil nutrients and organic acid fractions induced by residue retention were correlated with the succession of the rhizosphere microbial community and the reconstruction of the metabolic profile. This study demonstrates that TR can effectively mitigate the risk of pathogen enrichment associated with ambient temperature retention, constructing a potentially disease-suppressive initial microecological environment for subsequent crops. Full article

Soil-borne diseases have become increasingly serious due to continuous planting. Soil fumigation may be inadequate because of the persistence of soil-borne pathogens on ginger seed rhizome. A combined strategy of soil fumigation and seed rhizome disinfection would be necessary to achieve synergistic control. In this study, the approach of soil fumigation with chloropicrin (CP) coupled with seed rhizome disinfection (Copper, Cu) was first adopted to evaluate the synergistic effects on soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activities and microbial communities, and therefore reveal mechanisms for soil microecological health and crop yield promotion. The results showed the comprehensive strategy could reduce NO₃⁻-N content, and the activities of soil enzymes, while increased NH₄⁺-N content, EX-Cu, and OXI-Cu content, which were positively correlated with ginger yield but negatively correlated with soil-borne pathogens and plant mortality. On the other hand, there was a reduction in bacterial diversity and richness, which was positively correlated with the abundance of soil-borne pathogens. Moreover, some beneficial soil microorganisms’ relative abundance (such as Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacillus, and Sphingomonas.) was increased. The strategy decreased the abundance of Fusarium spp. and Phytophthora spp. by 49.41–90.07% and 43.34–89.21%, respectively. Compared with other treatments, the combination decreased the ginger mortality by 5.70–57.02% and increased the growth of ginger plants and yield by 3.58–139.96%, and 13.11–399.74%, respectively. This study highlights a prospect to promote ginger growth and yield by blocking the transmission of primary infection pathogens in ginger cultivation and improving soil ecological environment. Full article

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) have emerged as pervasive contaminants across diverse environments—including soil, water, and the atmosphere—posing substantial risks to resident organisms. Concurrently, alien plant invasion represents a significant driver of environmental change, introducing considerable ecological risks to terrestrial ecosystems. Synthesizing evidence from 26 original research articles, this review examines the bidirectional interactions between micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) and terrestrial invasive plants. A growing body of evidence indicates that MNPs alter the growth and performance of both invasive and native plants. In most documented cases, MNPs appear to enhance the competitive ability of invasive plants, thereby elevating their invasion potential. However, counterexamples exist wherein MNPs strengthen the competitiveness of native plants, consequently mitigating invasion risk. These divergent outcomes are likely attributable to a suite of influencing factors, notably the characteristics of the MNPs (e.g., type, size, concentration), the specific invasive and native plant species involved, and variations in experimental conditions. Key mechanistic pathways involve MNPs-induced disturbances in soil microecology—particularly nutrient dynamics and rhizosphere microbiomes—and allelopathic interactions. Conversely, invasive plants may adsorb/absorb MNPs and subsequently modify their environmental fate and behaviors (e.g., degradation, transport). Finally, we delineate critical knowledge gaps and propose prioritized directions for future research. This review advances our understanding of the ecological risks associated with plant invasions in an era of pervasive MNP pollution and offers a scientific foundation for developing informed management strategies. Full article

Rice blast, caused by Magnaporthe oryzae, is one of the most devastating diseases threatening global rice production. Although host resistance represents a sustainable control strategy, the underlying mechanisms mediated by the rhizosphere microbiome remain poorly understood. In this study, we selected four rice varieties with varying resistance to blast and demonstrated, through an integrated approach of 16S rRNA/ITS amplicon sequencing, untargeted metabolomics, and soil physicochemical analysis, that the rice genotype reprograms the genotype-root exudate-rhizosphere microbiome system. Results showed that the resistant variety P104 significantly decreased the soil pH while increasing the contents of total nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, and nitrate nitrogen. On the other hand, the susceptible variety P302 exhibited higher pH and available phosphorus content. Furthermore, the rhizosphere of P104 was enriched with specific beneficial microbes such as Desulfobacterota, Ascomycota, and Pseudeurotium, and activated defense-related metabolic pathways including cysteine and methionine metabolism and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. In contrast, susceptible varieties showed reduced bacterial diversity and fostered a microecological environment more conducive to pathogen proliferation. Our findings indicate that blast-resistant rice genotypes are associated with a protective rhizosphere microbiome, potentially mediated by alterations in root metabolism, thereby suppressing pathogen establishment. These insights elucidate the underground mechanisms of blast resistance and highlight the potential of microbiome-assisted breeding for sustainable crop protection. Full article

The continuous-cropping obstacles of Pogostemon cablin (patchouli) is severely constrained by autotoxic phenolic acids accumulated in the rhizosphere soil. Biochar adsorption and chemical oxidation are common remediation strategies; they often fail to simultaneously and efficiently remove phenolic allelochemicals while improving the soil micro-ecological environment. To address this issue, this study developed a novel biochar–urea peroxide composite particle (BC-UP). Batch degradation experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis confirmed the synergistic adsorption-oxidation function of BC-UP. A pot experiment demonstrated that application of BC-UP (5.0 g/kg) significantly alleviated phenolic acid stress. Specifically, BC-UP application significantly enhanced shoot biomass by 28.8% and root surface area by 49.3% compared to the phenolic acid-stressed treatment and concurrently reduced the total phenolic acid content in the rhizosphere soil by 37.3%. This growth promotion was accompanied by the enhanced accumulation of key bioactive compounds (volatile oils, pogostone, and patchouli alcohol). BC-UP amendment also improved key soil physicochemical properties (e.g., pH, and organic matter) and enhanced the activities of critical enzymes. Furthermore, BC-UP reshaped the microbial community, notably reducing the fungi-to-bacteria OTU ratio by 49.7% and enriching the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Nitrospirota but suppressing the Ascomycota phylum abundance. Redundancy analysis identified soil sucrase and catalase activity, total phenolic acid content, and Ascomycota abundance as key factors influencing patchouli biomass. In conclusion, BC-UP effectively mitigates phenolic acid stress through combined adsorption and radical oxidation, subsequently improving soil properties and restructuring the rhizosphere microbiome, offering a promising soil remediation strategy for patchouli and other medicinal crops. Full article

Rhizosphere hypoxia, caused by soil compaction and waterlogging, is a major constraint on agricultural productivity. It severely impairs crop growth and yield by inhibiting root aerobic respiration, disrupting energy metabolism, and altering the rhizosphere microecology. Micro-nano bubbles (MNBs) show significant potential for alleviating rhizosphere hypoxia due to their unique physicochemical properties, including large specific surface area, high oxygen dissolution efficiency, prolonged retention time, and negative surface charge. This paper systematically reviews the key characteristics of MNBs, particularly their enhanced mass transfer capacity and system stability, and outlines mainstream preparation methods such as cavitation, electrolysis, and membrane dispersion. And the multiple alleviation mechanisms of MNBs—including continuous oxygen release, improvement of soil pore structure, and regulation of rhizosphere microbial communities—are clarified. The combination of MNBs aeration and subsurface drip irrigation can increase soil aeration by 5%. When applied in soilless cultivation and conventional irrigation systems, MNBs enhance crop yield and nutrient use efficiency. For example, tomato yield can be increased by 12–44%. Furthermore, the integration of MNBs with water–fertilizer integration technology enables the synchronized supply of oxygen and nutrients, thereby optimizing the rhizosphere environment efficiently. This paper sorts out the empirical effects of MNBs in soilless cultivation and conventional irrigation, and provides directions for solving problems such as “insufficient oxygen supply to deep roots” and “reactive oxygen species (ROS) stress in sensitive crops”. Despite these significant advantages, the industrialization of MNBs still needs to overcome challenges including high equipment costs and insufficient precision in parameter control, so as to promote large-scale agricultural application and provide an innovative strategy for the management of rhizosphere hypoxia. Full article

Yellow leaf disease (YLD) has been the most severe disease threatening areca palm, commonly known in areca palm cultivation. However, it has not yet been systematically studied in terms of the relationship between infected plants and the structure of rhizosphere microbial communities. In order to systematically study the impact of YLD on the rhizosphere fungi of the areca palm, we implemented high-throughput sequencing technology to analyze the microbial community structure and diversity under different disease conditions. The results indicate that as the severity of the disease increases, the diversity of the fungal community diminishes, with species abundance and richness initially decreasing before subsequently increasing, while phylogenetic diversity increases, and significant changes occur in the structure of the soil fungal community. At the phylum level, the dominant fungal phyla in the rhizosphere of areca palm are Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. At the genus level, the dominant genera are Sarocladium, Roussoella, Penicillium, etc., and their relative abundance increases with the severity of the disease. LEfSe analysis revealed that Archaeorhizomyces, Codinaea, and Albifimbria serve as indicator species for healthy areca palms, with their relative abundance trends consistent with changes in Alpha diversity. FUNGuild prediction results indicated that the fungal nutrient type structures of the three rhizosphere samples were highly similar, with saprotrophs being the absolutely dominant type. With the increase in the severity of the disease, the number of harmful fungi in the soil (such as Plectosphaerella, Fusarium, etc.) increases, thereby limiting the sustainable development of the soil. Network analysis indicates that beneficial microbial communities such as Stachybotrys and Roussoella exhibit extensive negative interactions. Therefore, the YLD of areca palm significantly alters the structure and diversity of the rhizosphere fungal community. Simultaneously, some beneficial microorganisms may be recruited by the areca rhizosphere to resist the invasion of YLD by improving the rhizosphere environment and enhancing plant immunity, such as Trechispora, Saitozyma, and Marasmiellus. This experiment is expected to provide a theoretical basis for the study of the rhizosphere microecology of the areca palm, the exploration of excellent biocontrol resources, and the green control of YLD in the areca palm. Full article

To avoid continuous cropping problems with Bupleurum, we screened suitable preceding crops for rotation with Bupleurum through different crop rotations. Therefore, the objective of this study was to find out the relationships between microbial community characteristics, soil properties, and enzyme activities under four different rotation patterns, including fallow-Bupleurum (CK), maize-Bupleurum (M), soybean-Bupleurum (So), and sunflower-Bupleurum (Su). Results indicated that under all four rotation patterns, So treatment significantly enhanced soil nutrients and enzyme activities compared to CK. So not only optimized the composition of soil bacterial and fungal communities but markedly enhanced microbial α diversity. Additionally, So exhibited high similarity in bacterial and fungal community composition with M, and featured complex symbiotic relationships within the soil microbial network. While no clear discrepancies were detected in the abundance of the top twenty metabolic pathways in the predictive functions of bacterial and fungal communities across four rotation patterns, the metabolic pathway function MET-SAM-PWY (methionine synthesis pathway) in bacterial communities and the metabolic pathway function VALSYN-PWY (valine synthesis pathway) in fungal communities were particularly prominent under the So rotation pattern. RDA suggested that soil properties (available phosphorus and pH) and enzyme activities (sucrase and alkaline phosphatase activities) were the driving forces for bacterial community composition, while soil properties (soil organic matter and available potassium) and enzyme activities (sucrase and catalase activities) regulated fungal community composition. Hence, the soybean-Bupleurum rotation pattern represents a cultivation practice more beneficial for the sustainable development of the bupleurum industry, which can significantly improve soil fertility and the micro-ecological environment. Full article

Excessive fertilizer input and low output are currently problems for peach production in China. Sugar alcohols such as sorbitol and mannitol represent promising eco-friendly fertilization strategies to improve fruit quality and optimize nutrient management. Our research explored the effect of sorbitol and mannitol on the rhizosphere environment and peach growth from the rhizosphere micro-ecology perspective. Potted peach seedlings were used as materials. Without adding or adding different sorbitol and mannitol concentration gradients (100, 200, 400) combined with potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH₂PO₄), the physicochemical properties of rhizosphere soil, leaf nutrition, photosynthetic and growth index were determined, and the rhizosphere bacterial community was analyzed via Illumina Miseq high-throughput sequencing. Both sorbitol and mannitol altered the rhizosphere environment, effectively improved leaf photosynthesis, and promoted peach seedling growth; particularly, M100 had optimal affection. Sorbitol and mannitol altered the bacterial structure and reduced bacterial diversity, which observably correlated with soil organic matter and available potassium. For the rhizosphere bacterial composition, sorbitol and mannitol increased specific bacterial OTUs and induced changes in bacterial composition, among which chemoheterotrophic and nitrogen-transforming bacteria increased with the addition of sorbitol and mannitol. Association network analysis and a structural equation model showed that S100 and M100 mainly enriched Vicinamibacteraceae to regulate peach seedling growth. Overall, low-concentration sorbitol and mannitol showed the best effect in peach seedling growth through regulating the rhizosphere environment. Full article

Phenolic acids are important allelochemicals that contribute to obstacles in continuous cropping systems, significantly impacting soil nutrients, enzyme activities, and the composition of microbial communities. This study explored the effects of treatment time and the concentration of various phenolic acids (salicylic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid) on soil nutrients, enzyme activity, and soil microorganisms through cultivation experiments. The results indicated that high-concentration phenolic acid treatment negatively affected the availability of soil nutrients by acidifying the soil, as reflected in the low soil pH, compared to the untreated control. Moreover, the soil extracellular enzymes exhibited varying degrees of improvement when phenolic acids were added. Multi-element analysis revealed that treatment duration, concentration, and the type of phenolic acid significantly affected soil nutrient levels and enzyme activity. Additionally, structural equation modeling indicated a significant correlation between the concentration of phenolic acids and the diversity of microorganisms. Phenolic acids influence the soil ecological environment by altering the relative abundance of functional microorganisms (p_Patescibacteria and p_Mortierellomycota) in the soil. Thus, comprehensive regulation and control of continuous cropping obstacles can be achieved by adjusting the micro-ecological environment of the soil, which, in turn, affects phenolic acid substances present in the soil, thereby alleviating continuous cropping obstacles. Full article

Intercropping and phosphorus application are effective ways to increase crop yield and improve soil quality. However, the effects of intercropping and phosphorus application on rhizosphere soil properties, root morphology, and microbial characteristics are still unclear. This study focuses on the effects of intercropping and phosphorus fertilizer application (180 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹) on the physicochemical properties, enzyme activity, root morphology, and microbial characteristics of rhizosphere soil in a maize–peanut intercropping field planted for 14 years. The results showed that compared with monoculture, intercropping increased the carbon and nutrient contents. Phosphorus fertilizer application further increased the rhizosphere soil nutrient contents. Compared with monoculture, intercropping increased the urease and saccharase by 14.00 and 7.16% in rhizosphere soil, and phosphorus application increased the urease, alkaline phosphatase, and saccharase in rhizosphere soil by 13.38%, 9.75%, and 24.20% compared with no phosphorus application. Compared with monoculture, intercropping increased the root length, root surface area, root volume, and root tip number by 19.17%, 21.57%, 20.74%, and 28.54%, and phosphorus fertilizer application further increased the root length, root surface area, and root volume by 44.66%, 40.20%, and 41.70%. Compared with monoculture, intercropping increased the Chao index and Shannon index of rhizosphere soil bacteria and fungi by 4.29% and 1.63%, and 27.25% and 7.68%. Intercropping and phosphorus application increased the number of edges and modularity of the network of bacterial and fungal communities. To sum up, the intercropping of maize and peanut improved the nutrient contents and enzyme activity of rhizosphere soil, promoted the growth of the root system, and improved the diversity and connectivity of rhizosphere microbial communities, and the application of phosphate fertilizer further optimized the rhizosphere soil microecological environment. The research results provide a theoretical basis for maintaining the stability and sustainable development of the micro-ecosystem in a maize–peanut intercropping field. Full article

In global drought-prone cotton-growing (Gossypium hirsutum L.) areas, saline water irrigation has become a key strategy to alleviate the shortage of freshwater resources. Against this backdrop, the synergistic effect of mineralization degree (MD) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) on the rhizosphere microecological regulation mechanism remains unclear. To address this issue, this study constructed an experimental framework of the interaction between MD and SAR, aiming to explore their effects on the bacterial community structure in the rhizosphere of cotton and the soil environment. The soil type in the study area is saline–sodic sandy loam. In the experimental design, three MD levels (3 g/L, 5 g/L, 7 g/L) were set, and under each mineralization condition, three SAR levels (10 (mmol/L)^1/2, 15 (mmol/L)^1/2, 20 (mmol/L)^1/2) were arranged. In addition, local freshwater irrigation was used as the control group (CG), resulting in a total of 10 treatment schemes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of varying levels of irrigation water MD and SAR on the structure of bacterial communities in cotton rhizosphere soil and the soil environment. The results indicated that saline water irrigation could enhance the diversity and richness of the bacterial community in the rhizosphere soil of cotton and alter its community structure. Under treatment with the MD of 3 g/L and the SAR of 10 (mmol/L)^1/2, the diversity and richness of the bacterial community in the cotton rhizosphere reached their peak levels. Compared with the CG, the Chao1 index significantly increased by 260 units, while the Shannon index increased by 0.464. When the MD does not exceed 5 g/L, reducing SAR can enhance the diversity and network stability of the rhizosphere bacterial community, thereby synergistically promoting the accumulation of soil nutrients. The key soil environmental factors driving changes in the rhizosphere bacterial community structure mainly include soil moisture content, total nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, and total organic carbon. The concentrations of total nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium significantly increased by 19.66%, 26.10%, 89.41%, and 49.76% respectively (p < 0.05). This study provides a theoretical basis for sustainable irrigation and microbial regulation strategies in saline–alkali cotton fields at the theoretical level, and offers a new perspective for revealing the mutual feedback mechanism between bacterial community assembly and soil environment under saline conditions. From a practical perspective, this research offers valuable hands-on experience for optimizing agricultural ecological management in saline–alkali sandy loam soils, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of agriculture on such lands. Full article

The increasing salinization of cultivated soil worldwide has led to a significant reduction in maize production. Using saline–alkaline-tolerant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPR) in the rhizosphere can significantly improve the saline tolerance of maize and ensure the stability of maize yields, which has become a global research hotspot. This study screened salt-tolerant microorganisms Klebsiella sp. (GF2) and Pseudomonas sp. (GF7) from saline soil to clarify the mechanism in improving the saline tolerance of maize. In this study, different application treatments (GF2, GF7, and GF2 + GF7) and no application (CK) were set up to explore the potential ecological relationships between the saline tolerance of maize seedlings, soil characteristics, and microorganisms. The results showed that co-occurrence network and Zi-Pi analysis identified Klebsiella and Pseudomonas as core microbial communities in the rhizosphere soil of maize seedlings grown in saline soil. The deterministic process of microbial assembly mainly controlled the bacterial community, whereas bacteria and fungi were governed by random processes. The application of saline–alkaline-resistant PGPR under saline stress significantly promoted maize seedling growth, increased the activity of soil growth-promoting enzymes, and enhanced total nitrogen, soil organic carbon, and microbial carbon and nitrogen contents. Additionally, it reduced soil salt and alkali ion concentrations [electrical conductivity (EC) and exchangeable Na⁺]. Among them, GF2 + GF7 treatment had the best effect, indicating that saline–alkaline-tolerant PGPR could directly or indirectly improve the saline tolerance of maize seedlings by improving the rhizosphere soil ecological environment. EC was the determining factor to promote maize seedling growth under saline–alkaline stress (5.56%; p < 0.01). The results provided an important theoretical reference that deciphers the role of soil factors and microecology in enhancing the saline tolerance of maize. Full article