Rhizosphere Shifts: Reduced Fungal Diversity and Microbial Community Functionality Enhance Plant Adaptation in Continuous Cropping Systems

Continuous cropping problems constitute threats to perennial plant health and survival. Soil conditioners have the potential to enhance plant disease resistance in continuous cropping systems. However, how microbes and metabolites of the rhizosphere respond to soil conditioner addition remains large...

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Main Authors: Jichao Li, Yingmei Zuo, Jinyu Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Microorganisms
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/12/2420
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author Jichao Li
Yingmei Zuo
Jinyu Zhang
author_facet Jichao Li
Yingmei Zuo
Jinyu Zhang
author_sort Jichao Li
collection DOAJ
description Continuous cropping problems constitute threats to perennial plant health and survival. Soil conditioners have the potential to enhance plant disease resistance in continuous cropping systems. However, how microbes and metabolites of the rhizosphere respond to soil conditioner addition remains largely unknown, but this knowledge is paramount to providing innovative strategies to enhance plant adaptation in continuous cropping systems. Here, we found that a biochar conditioner significantly improved plant survival rates in a continuous cropping system. The biochar-induced rhizosphere significantly alters the fungal community, causing a decline in fungal diversity and the downregulation of soil microbial community functionality. Specifically, the biochar-induced rhizosphere causes a reduction in the relative abundance of pathogenic <i>Fusarium</i> sp. and phenolic acid concentration, whose variations are the primary causes of continuous cropping problems. Conversely, we observed an unexpected bacterial diversity increase in rhizospheric and non-rhizospheric soils. Our research further identified key microbial taxa in the biochar-induced rhizosphere, namely, <i>Monographella</i>, <i>Acremonium</i>, <i>Geosmithia</i>, and <i>Funneliformis</i>, which enhance soil nutrient availability, suppress <i>Fusarium</i> sp., mitigate soil acidification, and reduce phenolic acid concentrations. Collectively, we highlight the critical role of regular microbial communities and metabolites in determining plant health during continuous cropping and propose a synthetic microbial community framework for further optimizing the ecological functions of the rhizosphere.
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spelling doaj-art-d50f0a309d8b4eaeaee8027d4b523cea2024-12-27T14:41:06ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072024-11-011212242010.3390/microorganisms12122420Rhizosphere Shifts: Reduced Fungal Diversity and Microbial Community Functionality Enhance Plant Adaptation in Continuous Cropping SystemsJichao Li0Yingmei Zuo1Jinyu Zhang2Medicinal Plants Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2238 Beijing Road, Kunming 650221, ChinaMedicinal Plants Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2238 Beijing Road, Kunming 650221, ChinaMedicinal Plants Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2238 Beijing Road, Kunming 650221, ChinaContinuous cropping problems constitute threats to perennial plant health and survival. Soil conditioners have the potential to enhance plant disease resistance in continuous cropping systems. However, how microbes and metabolites of the rhizosphere respond to soil conditioner addition remains largely unknown, but this knowledge is paramount to providing innovative strategies to enhance plant adaptation in continuous cropping systems. Here, we found that a biochar conditioner significantly improved plant survival rates in a continuous cropping system. The biochar-induced rhizosphere significantly alters the fungal community, causing a decline in fungal diversity and the downregulation of soil microbial community functionality. Specifically, the biochar-induced rhizosphere causes a reduction in the relative abundance of pathogenic <i>Fusarium</i> sp. and phenolic acid concentration, whose variations are the primary causes of continuous cropping problems. Conversely, we observed an unexpected bacterial diversity increase in rhizospheric and non-rhizospheric soils. Our research further identified key microbial taxa in the biochar-induced rhizosphere, namely, <i>Monographella</i>, <i>Acremonium</i>, <i>Geosmithia</i>, and <i>Funneliformis</i>, which enhance soil nutrient availability, suppress <i>Fusarium</i> sp., mitigate soil acidification, and reduce phenolic acid concentrations. Collectively, we highlight the critical role of regular microbial communities and metabolites in determining plant health during continuous cropping and propose a synthetic microbial community framework for further optimizing the ecological functions of the rhizosphere.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/12/2420rhizosphere microbiomebiocharcontinuous cropping obstaclesmicrobial community functionality<i>Fusarium</i>
spellingShingle Jichao Li
Yingmei Zuo
Jinyu Zhang
Rhizosphere Shifts: Reduced Fungal Diversity and Microbial Community Functionality Enhance Plant Adaptation in Continuous Cropping Systems
Microorganisms
rhizosphere microbiome
biochar
continuous cropping obstacles
microbial community functionality
<i>Fusarium</i>
title Rhizosphere Shifts: Reduced Fungal Diversity and Microbial Community Functionality Enhance Plant Adaptation in Continuous Cropping Systems
title_full Rhizosphere Shifts: Reduced Fungal Diversity and Microbial Community Functionality Enhance Plant Adaptation in Continuous Cropping Systems
title_fullStr Rhizosphere Shifts: Reduced Fungal Diversity and Microbial Community Functionality Enhance Plant Adaptation in Continuous Cropping Systems
title_full_unstemmed Rhizosphere Shifts: Reduced Fungal Diversity and Microbial Community Functionality Enhance Plant Adaptation in Continuous Cropping Systems
title_short Rhizosphere Shifts: Reduced Fungal Diversity and Microbial Community Functionality Enhance Plant Adaptation in Continuous Cropping Systems
title_sort rhizosphere shifts reduced fungal diversity and microbial community functionality enhance plant adaptation in continuous cropping systems
topic rhizosphere microbiome
biochar
continuous cropping obstacles
microbial community functionality
<i>Fusarium</i>
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/12/2420
work_keys_str_mv AT jichaoli rhizosphereshiftsreducedfungaldiversityandmicrobialcommunityfunctionalityenhanceplantadaptationincontinuouscroppingsystems
AT yingmeizuo rhizosphereshiftsreducedfungaldiversityandmicrobialcommunityfunctionalityenhanceplantadaptationincontinuouscroppingsystems
AT jinyuzhang rhizosphereshiftsreducedfungaldiversityandmicrobialcommunityfunctionalityenhanceplantadaptationincontinuouscroppingsystems