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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2026, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (9): 47-62.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025303

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Effects of salt-tolerant crops on the soil physicochemical properties and bacterial community composition in Southern Xinjiang

Qian-qian HUO1,2(), Yang-yang SONG1,2, Yuan-rong WU1,2, Yuan-yuan QU1,2, Lin-qiao XI1,2()   

  1. 1.College of Animal Science and Technology,Tarim University,Alar 843300,China
    2.Key Laboratory of Livestock and Forage Resources Utilization around Tarim,Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs,Alar 843300,China
  • Received:2025-07-22 Revised:2025-11-17 Online:2026-09-20 Published:2026-07-27
  • Contact: Lin-qiao XI

Abstract:

Soil salinization is increasing in Southern Xinjiang. However, the changes in soil properties and bacterial communities following the cultivation of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), sorghum-sudangrass (S. bicolor×Sorghum sudanense), sesbania (Sesbania cannabina), maize (Zea mays), and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) in saline-alkali soils remain unclear. This study established five monoculture treatments: sorghum (S), sorghum-sudangrass (SS), sesbania (Sb), maize (Zm), and cotton (Gs). Soil samples from the 0-20 cm surface layer were analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil ions, carbon/nitrogen fractions, enzyme activities, and bacterial community structure. Multivariate analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of these salt-tolerant forage crops on saline-alkali soil properties and bacterial community. The results indicated that soil pH and soil ions were lower in the S, SS, and Sb treatments compared to the Zm and Gs treatments. Soil organic carbon fractions, including particulate organic carbon, light fraction organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon, and easily oxidizable carbon showed a ranking trend of SS>Sb>S>Zm>Gs. The SS treatment exhibited significantly higher soil available phosphorus, available potassium content, and invertase, urease, catalase activities than other treatments (P<0.05). The Sb treatment showed significantly higher soil organic matter and total nitrogen contents than other treatments (P<0.05), with increases of 83.37% and 42.11%, respectively, compared to pre-cultivation levels. The S treatment had higher soil nitrate-nitrogen content, the SS treatment had higher light fraction organic nitrogen and particulate organic nitrogen contents, and the Sb treatment had higher dissolved organic nitrogen content than other treatments. The SS treatment resulted in high soil bacterial community diversity and even distributed soil. Proteobacteria (38.65%-43.53%) and Pseudomonas (0.43%-6.92%) were the dominant phylum and genus, respectively. Significant correlations were observed between soil physicochemical properties and bacterial phyla such as Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Methylomirabilota. In conclusion, cultivation of sorghum-sudangrass and sesbania in the saline-alkali soils of Southern Xinjiang provided superior amelioration effects on soil physicochemical properties, compared to other crops tested.

Key words: saline-alkali land, salt-tolerant crops, physical and chemical properties of the soil, bacteria