Taxonomic response of bacterial and fungal populations to biofertilizers applied to soil or substrate in greenhouse-grown cucumber

Abstract

Reductions in the quality and yield of crops continuously produced in the same location for many years due to annual increases in soil-borne pathogens. Environmentally-friendly methods are needed to produce vegetables sustainably and cost effectively under protective cover. We investigated the impact of biofertilizers on cucumber growth and yield, and changes to populations of soil microorganisms in response to biofertilizer treatments applied to substrate or soil. We observed that some biofertilizers significantly increased cucumber growth and decreased soil-borne pathogens in soil and substrate. Rhizosphere microbial communities in soil and substrate responded differently to different biofertilizers, which also led to significant differences in microbial diversity and taxonomic structure at different times in the growing season. Biofertilizers increase the prospects of re-using substrate for continuously producing high-quality crops cost-effectively from the same soil each year while at the same time controlling soil-borne disease.

Date Palm Waste Compost Application Increases Soil Microbial Community Diversity in a Cropping Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Field

“…In this study, short-term application of date palm waste compost may be the principal cause for the decrease in soil bacterial diversity. In addition, Gao et al [ 37 ] reported that organic amendment (biochar) increased fungal richness and diversity compared with the control, which is consistent with our finding that compost application led to an increase in fungal richness and diversity in a barley field, especially at S1. The possible explanation for this result is date palm waste compost application could promote the soil fungal growth which was ascribed to change in soil pH, nutrient content and the increase in soil organic carbon (SOC) [ 43 ].…”

“…In agreement with our findings, Liu et al [ 12 ] and Azeem et al [ 9 ] reported that compost application decreased soil bacterial diversity. Similarly, Gao et al [ 37 ] and Luo et al [ 41 ] found that the addition of organic fertilizers such as biochar increased soil fungal diversity. On the other hand, these results are not in line with the reports of Tao et al [ 40 ] and Shen et al [ 42 ], who showed that the application of biofertilizer significantly increased bacterial but decreased fungal diversity.…”

“…Previous studies reported that crop growth stages changed the soil bacterial and fungal abundance [ 36 ]. Similarly, Gao et al [ 37 ] reported that application of organic amendment increased soil microbial abundance in wheat and soybean cropping systems. Similarly, the abundance of bacteria and fungi was significantly increased by the application of organic manure under jackfruit planting [ 38 ].…”

Effects of rotation and Bacillus on the changes of continuous cropping soil fungal communities in American ginseng

“…And Hannaella was reported to have good biocontrol potential (Zhao et al 2022 ). Our results also showed that only Ramophialophora was enriched at 28 d. As saprophytic fungi, Ramophialophora was reported to improve soil nutrition, regulate soil structure and inhibit soil-borne diseases (Clocchiatti et al 2020 ; Wu et al 2022 ). Most biomarkers were significantly negatively correlated with soil cellulase and positively correlated with catalase.…”

Effects of Bacterial and Fungal Inocula on Biomass, Ecophysiology, and Uptake of Metals of Alyssoides utriculata (L.) Medik.

“…Among these, Pseudomonas fluorescens complex Migula, 1895 are ubiquitous in rhizospheric microbiota [ 31 ] and tolerant to metals [ 32 , 33 ]. These bacterial strains were also able to increase crop yield (e.g., Solanum tuberosum L.) [ 34 ], growth parameters (e.g., Pisum sativum L., up to 45%; Phaseolus vulgaris L., up to 20%) [ 35 ], and shoot dry biomass (e.g., Eragrostis tef (Zucc) Trotter, up to 2.8-fold) [ 36 ].…”