Depth-dependent Influence of Biochar Application on the Abundance and Community Structure of Diazotrophic Under Sugarcane Growth

Abstract

Despite progress in understanding diazotrophic distribution in surface soils, few studies have investigated the distribution of diazotrophic in dipper soil layers. Here, we leveraged high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of nifH genes obtained to assess the influence of biochar amended soil (BC) and control (CK), and soil depths (0-20, 20-40 and 40-60 cm) on diazotrophic abundance and community structures, and soil biochemical properties. Although soil physio-chemical properties, enzymes activities, diazotrophic genera and enriched OTUs were significantly influenced across the entire soil profiles, our results also revealed that BC amended soil significantly increased cane stalk height and weight, soil NO3-, NH4+, OM, TC and AK, and enhanced diazotrophic genera in soil depth 0-20 cm compared to CK treatment. Soil TC, TN, OM and NH4+ were the major impact factors shifting diazotrophic community structures in soil depth 0-20 cm. Moreover, multivariate ANOVA analysis revealed that changes in majority of the soil parameters measured were associated with soil depth rather than fertilization. More diazotrophic genera were to a greater extent significantly and positively associated with many soil environmental variables especially in the surface soil 0-20 cm than diazotrophic phyla. Overall, these results were more pronounced in 0-20 cm soil depth in BC than CK treatment.

Sustained organic amendments utilization enhances ratoon crop growth and soil quality by enriching beneficial metabolites and suppressing pathogenic bacteria

“…Studies have shed light on the decline in ratoon crop growth, development, and productivity, mainly due to nutrient depletion and pest and disease outbreaks (Xu et al, 2021;Fallah et al, 2023). We recently reported that BC was key in rejuvenating ratoon crop traits (Fallah et al, 2023). Here, ratoon crop traits under the sustained effect of BC and FM-supplemented soils peaked significantly, largely due to the regulatory effects of these amendments on pathogenic bacteria and stress-regulating metabolites, which draws parallels with previous findings (Gomathi, 2013).…”

“…Studies have shed light on the decline in ratoon crop growth, development, and productivity, mainly due to nutrient depletion and pest and disease outbreaks (Xu et al, 2021;Fallah et al, 2023). We recently reported that BC was key in rejuvenating ratoon crop traits (Fallah et al, 2023).…”

“…Ratooning is a farming practice that involves harvesting a monocot crop by cutting most of the aboveground portions but leaving the roots and the growing shoot apices undamaged to allow the crops to recover and produce new crops in the subsequent season (Bamisile et al, 2021;Fallah et al, 2023). This farming practice is common among several crops, including sugarcane, rice, banana, etc.…”

Plant growth and stress-regulating metabolite response to biochar utilization boost crop traits and soil health

“…Sugarcane stalks were cut approximately 10-12 cm in length, maintaining two buds on each set. Subsequently, 10 sets were planted in each row, ensuring a spacing of 0.3 m between plants and 0.5 m between rows (Fallah et al, 2021). We supplemented the BC and CK treatments with 375 kg/hm 2 of compound fertilizer (N-P 2 O 5 -K 2 O 15-15-15) in April 2019.…”

Silicon fertilizer mediated structural variation and niche differentiation in the rhizosphere and endosphere bacterial microbiome and metabolites of sugarcane

“…The measurement of cane agronomic traits, namely, sugarcane heights, sucrose content, and stalk weight (kg stalk −1 ), followed by the theoretical production and yield parameters, was conducted in November 2019 using the method we adopted in our previous studies (Fallah et al, 2021;Pang et al, 2022).…”