Nitrogen fertilization practices alter microbial communities driven by clonal integration in Moso bamboo.

Area of Science:

• Soil Science
• Microbiology
• Plant Science

Background:

• Nitrogen fertilization is vital for plant productivity.
• Clonal plants integrate resources, affecting soil microbes and biogeochemical cycles.
• The impact of nitrogen fertilization on clonal ramet rhizosphere microbes is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how different nitrogen fertilization strategies affect Moso bamboo's rhizosphere microbial communities.
• To understand the role of clonal integration in nitrogen distribution and its microbial consequences.

Main Methods:

• Moso bamboo clonal fragments (parent, offspring, rhizome) were field-established.
• Ammonium nitrate solution was applied to parent ramets, offspring ramets, or rhizomes.
• Rhizosphere soil properties, microbial community structure/function, and nitrogen cycling genes were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Nitrogen fertilization altered soil nitrogen availability and rhizosphere microbial communities.
• Parent fertilization resulted in the highest soil nitrogen and microbial biomass nitrogen.
• Rhizome fertilization enhanced microbial network complexity, while offspring fertilization increased bacterial diversity and nitrogen cycling gene abundance, suggesting higher nitrogen loss.

Conclusions:

• Nitrogen fertilization strategies significantly influence Moso bamboo's rhizosphere microbial community by altering nitrogen clonal integration.
• Parent and rhizome fertilization promote nitrogen retention and microbial function stability.
• Findings offer insights for precision fertilization in sustainable Moso bamboo management.