Effects of intercropping with legume forage on the rhizosphere microbial community structure of tea plants
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: CONTEXT Intercropping agriculture has important theoretical and practical significance for solving many problems faced by intensive tea orchards. Forage legumes have great advantages in reducing fertilizer use to increase fertilizer efficiency. Currently, intercropping with legumes has certain effects on improving the environment of tea orchards and tea quality. OBJECTIVE However, the effects of the rhizosphere on the rhizosphere microbes and community structure of tea plants are still not comprehensive enough. METHODS Therefore, four types of planting patterns were tested: monoculture Tieguanyin tea plant (MT), Laredo forage soybean (Glycine max Linn.) no barrier intercropping with tea (IT), plastic partition intercropping with tea (PPIT), and net partition intercropping with tea (NPIT). Absolute quantitative analysis of soil phospholipid fatty acids labeled by rhizosphere microbial characteristics of tea plants by multi-ion reaction monitoring (MRM). Bacterial and fungal communities were predicted using the FAPROTAX and FUNG databases. Determining greenhouse gas emissions in different root interaction cultivation systems using gas chromatography. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Rhizosphere effects resulted in 44.6% greater total PLFAs and a 100.85% greater ratio of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids. The rhizosphere effect enhanced the ecological functions of the bacterial community, such as xylanolysis, ureolysis, nitrogen respiration, nitrogen fixation, nitrite respiration, nitrite ammonification, and nitrate reduction. Mycorrhizomonas (ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal) significantly colonized the rhizosphere. Interspecific rhizosphere mutual effects enhanced the abundance of plant growth-promoting bacteria, such as Allorhizobium, Bradyrhizobium, Rhizobium, Burkholderia, Gluconacetobacter and Gluconobacter, and reduced the abundance of pathogenic microbes, such as Xanthomonas, ralstonia, Fusarium, opportunistic fungi of white rot and soft rot. Compared with those in monocultured tea plants, the total greenhouse gas levels in the intercropping system were lower, and the soil CO2 emissions mediated by the intercropping system decreased significantly due to interspecific rhizosphere mutual effects. The tea rhizosphere constructed by tea/legume intercropping is a healthy and sustainable ecosystem. Interspecific rhizosphere effects are beneficial for promoting microbial biomass and enhancing microbial activity, and play an important role in the biological control of rhizospheric pathogens. SIGNIFICANCE These findings will help to better understand the most important practical implications of rhizosphere intercropping for optimizing rhizosphere community structure and mitigating greenhouse gas effects in croplands.
Source: Frontiers in Microbiology
Authors: Yuhang Jiang, Xiaoqin Lin, Wenxiong Lin
Language: English
Subfield: Agronomy and Crop Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDGs: Zero hunger, Life on land
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,295
OpenAlex ID: W4404664459