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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2024, Vol. 33 ›› Issue (12): 160-174.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024042

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Effects of maize continuous cropping on soil microbial community structure based on metagenomic analysis

Chen-yang ZHANG1(), Meng-jun JIN1, Yong-feng XU2, Cheng-de YANG1()   

  1. 1.Laboratory of Biocontrol Engineering of Crop Pests and Diseases in Gansu Province,College of Plant Protection,Gansu Agricultural University,Lanzhou 730070,China
    2.Zhangye Station of Plant Protection and Quarantine,Zhangye 734000,China
  • Received:2024-02-01 Revised:2024-03-16 Online:2024-12-20 Published:2024-10-09
  • Contact: Cheng-de YANG

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of maize (Zea mays) continuous cropping on soil microorganisms. Soil samples were collected from the Ganzhou District of Zhangye City from fields continuously used to cultivate maize for 5, 10, 15, 20, and more than 21 years, and from Linze County from fields continuously used to cultivate maize for 10, 15, 20 and more than 21 years. The soil samples were subjected to metagenomic analyses. The results showed that the soil bacterial abundance in the two areas increased and then decreased as the number of years of continuous cropping increased, and the diversity continued to decrease with extended continuous cropping. Across the time series, the relative abundance of the dominant phyla Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria in Ganzhou District initially increased and then decreased, and had further significantly decreased at 20 years of continuous cropping (P<0.05). The relative abundance of Acidobacteria in Linze County continued to decline, and was significantly lower at 20 years of continuous cropping than at 10 years (P<0.05). With increasing number of years of continuous cropping, fungal abundance and diversity continued to increase. The relative abundance of the fungal genera Colletotrichum and Fusarium in Ganzhou District was significantly increased (P<0.05) at 15 and 20 years of continuous cropping, and that of Fusarium in Linze County fluctuated at 15 and 21 years of continuous cropping. Analyses of beta diversity revealed that the structure of soil bacterial and fungal communities differed significantly, depending on the number of years of continuous cropping. In Ganzhou District, metabolic pathways, microbial metabolism, carbon metabolism, and pyruvate metabolism functions of the microbial community were significantly lower (P<0.05) at 10 years than at 5 years of continuous cropping. In Linze County, metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and pyruvate metabolism functions were significantly (P<0.05) higher at 20 years than at 10 years of continuous cropping. In contrast, two-component system functions were significantly (P<0.05) lower at 20 years than at 10 years of continuous cropping. The results of this study indicate that the duration of continuous cropping affects the diversity, community structure, and functions of soil microbes. The decrease in the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria and the increase in the relative abundance of Colletotrichum and Fusarium in Ganzhou District, and the decrease in the relative abundance of Acidobacteria and the increase in the relative abundance of Fusarium in Linze County might contribute to maize continuous cropping decline. The results of our study provide a basis for unravelling the microbiological mechanism of continuous cropping decline.

Key words: maize, soil continuous cropping, metagenomic, soil microorganism, community structure