Effects of Short-Term Application of Chemical and Organic Fertilizers on Bacterial Diversity of Cornfield Soil in a Karst Area

Abstract

Among karst mountain agricultural fertilization measures, the partial replacement of chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers is important for protecting its vulnerable mountain environment and developing ecologically-friendly agriculture. In this study, we investigated the effects of short-term organic fertilizer application on the bacterial diversity of maize soil in karst areas and the potential of using organic fertilizer as a partial substitute for chemical fertilizers. Two maize fields with different parent materials in a karst region were selected for a short-term field control experiment using chemical fertilizer and organic fertilizer treatment, combined with the high-throughput sequencing method of 16S rDNA gene amplicons. (i) The soil physicochemical properties and bacterial diversity of different parent material soil are different, but the main dominant bacterial types are similar. (ii) Shortterm organic fertilizer treatment, rather than chemical fertilizer treatment, increased the bacterial richness significantly, especially for some functional bacteria (such as Nitrospira, Gemmatimonas). (iii) Analysis of the correlation between environmental factors and bacterial diversity indicated that soil pH and total P had the most significant effects on bacterial community structure (r = 0.91, p = 0.001; r = 0.33, p = 0.001). This study showed that it is an effective method to maintain a richer bacterial community and increasing the abundance of some functional bacteria by increasing organic fertilizers and reducing chemical fertilizers in the farm soil in karst regions, which could also be applied to other fragile agricultural ecosystems in the world.

Effect of Organic Manures on Growth, Yield, Leaf Nutrient Uptake and Soil Properties of Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa Chev.) cv. Allison

“…Modern agricultural systems rely heavily on synthetic fertilizers and agrochemicals [ 8 ]. Fertilizer is one of the most important inputs, accounting for approximately a third of the total cost of cultivation [ 9 ]. The fast depletion of nitrogenous, phosphatic, and potassic reserves because of extreme usage is a cause of grave concern for countries that are yet to achieve food security [ 10 ].…”

Soil Aggregates and Fertilizer Treatments Drive Bacterial Interactions via Interspecies Niche Overlap

“…The impacts of fertilizer treatments on microbial diversity have been well studied ( 21 , 22 ). Short-term organic fertilizer treatment increased the bacterial richness significantly, especially for some functional bacteria in Karst areas, such as Nitrospira and Gemmatimonas ( 23 ). Large amounts of chemical fertilizers have been applied to arable fields over the past few decades to prevent food shortages worldwide and maximize crop yields.…”

Organomineral fertilizer application enhances Perilla frutescens nutritional quality and rhizosphere microbial community stability in karst mountain soils

“…Increased OFs application can increase soil carbon storage and plant nutrients, and improve soil biological activity, which are of great significance for mitigating climate warming and developing sustainable agricultural production ( Gattinger et al, 2012 ; Seufert et al, 2012 ). Many studies have shown that OFs application is an effective way to improve crop yield and quality ( Liu et al, 2020 , 2021 ; Du et al, 2022 ), and increase soil microbial richness and diversity ( Zhou et al, 2015 ; Cui et al, 2018 ; Li et al, 2020 ). However, the contents of mineral nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in OFs are low, and the increased amount of fertilizer needed increases the cost and application difficulty.…”