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Updated: Sep 27, 2025

Divergence of Root Microbiota in Different Habitats based on Weighted Correlation Networks
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Weeds in the Alfalfa Field Decrease Rhizosphere Microbial Diversity and Association Networks in the North China

Chao Yang1,2, Wei Tang1,2, Junqi Sun1

  • 1College of Grassland Science, Grassland Agri-Husbandry Research Center, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China.

Frontiers in Microbiology
|April 14, 2022
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Weeds significantly alter soil microbial communities, reducing bacterial and fungal diversity compared to alfalfa (Medicago sativa). Soil pH and phosphorus levels are key factors influencing these microbial changes, with weeds inhibiting pathogenic fungi.

Keywords:
alfalfa fieldecological networkmicrobial diversityrhizosphereweed management

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Area of Science:

  • Agroecology
  • Soil Microbiology
  • Plant-Microbe Interactions

Background:

  • Soil microorganisms are crucial for agroecosystem stability and nutrient cycling.
  • Understanding plant species' impact on soil microbial communities is vital for sustainable agriculture.
  • The specific effects of forage crops versus weeds on soil microbial diversity remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how native alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and common weed species affect soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities.
  • To determine the influence of plant species identity on soil bacterial and fungal diversity and composition.
  • To identify key soil factors shaping microbial communities and their interactions.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of soil physicochemical properties (pH, nutrients) and plant nutrient content.
  • Sequencing of bacterial and fungal communities in soil associated with alfalfa and five weed species.
  • Construction and analysis of bacterial co-occurrence networks.
  • Assessment of pathogenic fungal inhibition by weed species.

Main Results:

  • Weeds exhibited lower plant carbon but higher nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations than alfalfa.
  • Bacterial and fungal diversity (Shannon index) were significantly lower in soils associated with weeds compared to alfalfa.
  • Soil pH and phosphate-phosphorus were critical drivers for specific bacterial (Sphingomonadaceae) and fungal (Pleosporaceae) abundances.
  • Weeds effectively suppressed the growth of pathogenic fungi (Nectriaceae, Pleosporaceae).
  • Alfalfa supported more complex bacterial co-occurrence networks than the weed species.

Conclusions:

  • Plant species identity, particularly the contrast between alfalfa and weeds, profoundly impacts soil microbial community structure and diversity.
  • Soil physicochemical properties, like pH and phosphorus, are key regulators of soil microbial composition in agroecosystems.
  • Weeds can play a role in suppressing soil-borne pathogens, but their overall effect on microbial diversity is negative compared to beneficial forage crops.