Native mixed microbe inoculants (M1H) optimize soil health to promote Cajanus cajan growth: the soil fungi are more sensitive than bacteria

Microbial inoculant is widely used in plant growth and crop production. However, the effect of native mixed microbial inoculants on soil microbiota and plant growth remain to be elucidated. Here, we used pot experiment for 5 months to determine the microbial inoculants treatments with growth-promoti...

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Main Authors: Zexun Liu, Chengcheng Luo, Kang Zheng, Yongtao Sun, Jie Ru, Yaner Ma, Xinru Zhang, Yong Zhou, Jiayao Zhuang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Microbiology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1521064/full
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author Zexun Liu
Chengcheng Luo
Kang Zheng
Yongtao Sun
Jie Ru
Yaner Ma
Xinru Zhang
Yong Zhou
Jiayao Zhuang
author_facet Zexun Liu
Chengcheng Luo
Kang Zheng
Yongtao Sun
Jie Ru
Yaner Ma
Xinru Zhang
Yong Zhou
Jiayao Zhuang
author_sort Zexun Liu
collection DOAJ
description Microbial inoculant is widely used in plant growth and crop production. However, the effect of native mixed microbial inoculants on soil microbiota and plant growth remain to be elucidated. Here, we used pot experiment for 5 months to determine the microbial inoculants treatments with growth-promoting effect on Cajanus cajan, such as M1P (Serratia marcescens) treatment and M1H treatment: the mixture of M1P and M45N (Paenibacillus polymyxa), and investigate the effect of these inoculants on the capacity of soil nutrients and rhizosphere microbiomes in promoting C. cajan growth. Further, the adaptability of these strains to environmental stress (temperature and pH) was determined by using stress-resistant growth experiment. The results showed that M1H treatment resulted in soil nutrients consumption and led to substantial alterations in the microbial community that were more effective in promoting C. cajan growth. The enhanced plant growth observed with M1H inoculation may be due to its impact on the soil micro-environment, particularly through increasing beneficial genera (e.g., Cunninghamella, Mortierella, Chryseolinea, and Bacillus) and decreasing potential genera (e.g., Zopfiella and Podospora). In addition, at the genus level (top 10), the effect of M1H inoculation on soil fungal community was higher than that of bacteria, which shows that the change of soil fungal community after M1H inoculation was more sensitive than that of bacteria. Spearman correlation analysis further revealed that the abundance of Cunninghamella, Mortierella, Chryseolinea, Zopfiella and Podospora were the key factors affecting C. cajan growth. Moreover, FUNGuild function prediction clearly indicated distinct differences in the fungal functions of CK, MIP and M1H treatment, in which a lower relative abundance of saprotroph fungi in M1H treatment compared to CK, these results may confirmed the possibility of decreasing the abundance of Zopfiella and Podospora under M1H treatment. Taken together, our findings highlight the role of M1H inoculant in promoting C. cajan growth and ameliorating soil health, and providing valuable insight of using native mixed microbial inoculants to cultivate C. cajan and optimize soil micro-environment.
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publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Microbiology
spelling doaj-art-b5e3d0daa09a464fb3c1b301a5aa3bdd2025-08-20T02:47:24ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-03-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.15210641521064Native mixed microbe inoculants (M1H) optimize soil health to promote Cajanus cajan growth: the soil fungi are more sensitive than bacteriaZexun Liu0Chengcheng Luo1Kang Zheng2Yongtao Sun3Jie Ru4Yaner Ma5Xinru Zhang6Yong Zhou7Jiayao Zhuang8Collaborative Innovation Center of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, ChinaEast China Academy of Inventory and Planning of NFGA, Hangzhou, ChinaEast China Academy of Inventory and Planning of NFGA, Hangzhou, ChinaNational Forestry and Grassland Bureau Forest and Grass Survey Planning Institute, Beijing, ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, ChinaBeijing Liangshui River Administration Office, Beijing, ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, ChinaMicrobial inoculant is widely used in plant growth and crop production. However, the effect of native mixed microbial inoculants on soil microbiota and plant growth remain to be elucidated. Here, we used pot experiment for 5 months to determine the microbial inoculants treatments with growth-promoting effect on Cajanus cajan, such as M1P (Serratia marcescens) treatment and M1H treatment: the mixture of M1P and M45N (Paenibacillus polymyxa), and investigate the effect of these inoculants on the capacity of soil nutrients and rhizosphere microbiomes in promoting C. cajan growth. Further, the adaptability of these strains to environmental stress (temperature and pH) was determined by using stress-resistant growth experiment. The results showed that M1H treatment resulted in soil nutrients consumption and led to substantial alterations in the microbial community that were more effective in promoting C. cajan growth. The enhanced plant growth observed with M1H inoculation may be due to its impact on the soil micro-environment, particularly through increasing beneficial genera (e.g., Cunninghamella, Mortierella, Chryseolinea, and Bacillus) and decreasing potential genera (e.g., Zopfiella and Podospora). In addition, at the genus level (top 10), the effect of M1H inoculation on soil fungal community was higher than that of bacteria, which shows that the change of soil fungal community after M1H inoculation was more sensitive than that of bacteria. Spearman correlation analysis further revealed that the abundance of Cunninghamella, Mortierella, Chryseolinea, Zopfiella and Podospora were the key factors affecting C. cajan growth. Moreover, FUNGuild function prediction clearly indicated distinct differences in the fungal functions of CK, MIP and M1H treatment, in which a lower relative abundance of saprotroph fungi in M1H treatment compared to CK, these results may confirmed the possibility of decreasing the abundance of Zopfiella and Podospora under M1H treatment. Taken together, our findings highlight the role of M1H inoculant in promoting C. cajan growth and ameliorating soil health, and providing valuable insight of using native mixed microbial inoculants to cultivate C. cajan and optimize soil micro-environment.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1521064/fullCajanus cajangrowth promoting effectsoil nutrientssoil fungal and bacterial communitiesFUNGuild
spellingShingle Zexun Liu
Chengcheng Luo
Kang Zheng
Yongtao Sun
Jie Ru
Yaner Ma
Xinru Zhang
Yong Zhou
Jiayao Zhuang
Native mixed microbe inoculants (M1H) optimize soil health to promote Cajanus cajan growth: the soil fungi are more sensitive than bacteria
Frontiers in Microbiology
Cajanus cajan
growth promoting effect
soil nutrients
soil fungal and bacterial communities
FUNGuild
title Native mixed microbe inoculants (M1H) optimize soil health to promote Cajanus cajan growth: the soil fungi are more sensitive than bacteria
title_full Native mixed microbe inoculants (M1H) optimize soil health to promote Cajanus cajan growth: the soil fungi are more sensitive than bacteria
title_fullStr Native mixed microbe inoculants (M1H) optimize soil health to promote Cajanus cajan growth: the soil fungi are more sensitive than bacteria
title_full_unstemmed Native mixed microbe inoculants (M1H) optimize soil health to promote Cajanus cajan growth: the soil fungi are more sensitive than bacteria
title_short Native mixed microbe inoculants (M1H) optimize soil health to promote Cajanus cajan growth: the soil fungi are more sensitive than bacteria
title_sort native mixed microbe inoculants m1h optimize soil health to promote cajanus cajan growth the soil fungi are more sensitive than bacteria
topic Cajanus cajan
growth promoting effect
soil nutrients
soil fungal and bacterial communities
FUNGuild
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1521064/full
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