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Area of Science:

  • Agricultural Science
  • Soil Microbiology
  • Sustainable Agriculture

Background:

  • Microbial fertilizers offer a sustainable approach to crop production by enhancing soil biological functions and nutrient availability.
  • Limited research exists on microbial fertilizer performance across diverse agroecological zones.
  • Understanding these regional variations is crucial for optimizing their application.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of a composite microbial fertilizer (Bacillus subtilis and Trichoderma harzianum) on maize yield, soil properties, straw degradation, and microbial community structure over three years at two distinct field sites in China.
  • To investigate the relationship between microbial fertilizer application, soil microbial community shifts, straw decomposition, and maize yield.
  • To identify factors influencing the site-specific performance of microbial fertilizers.

Main Methods:

  • A 3-year field experiment was conducted at two sites (Qingfeng Country and Xun Country, China) comparing a composite microbial fertilizer (MF) with conventional chemical fertilizer (CF).
  • Maize yield, soil properties (including available phosphorus), straw degradation rate (SDR), and microbial community composition (using high-throughput sequencing for bacteria and fungi) were analyzed.
  • Statistical modeling (Partial Least Squares Path Modeling) was employed to elucidate the pathways linking microbial community changes, straw decomposition, soil nutrients, and yield.

Main Results:

  • The microbial fertilizer significantly increased maize yield by 11.4% (QF) and 6.9% (Xun) compared to chemical fertilizer.
  • MF application enhanced straw degradation rate by 8.4-8.6% and showed a trend towards increased available phosphorus (15.4-19.7%).
  • High-throughput sequencing revealed site-specific bacterial and fungal communities, with MF application selectively increasing the relative abundance of Acidobacteriota and Sordariomycetes, key components of the native microbiome.

Conclusions:

  • Microbial fertilizers can effectively enhance maize yield and straw decomposition, but their performance is strongly influenced by the native soil microbial assemblages and local environmental conditions.
  • The study suggests that microbial fertilizers operate through complex, microbiome-mediated pathways, linking microbial community structure and straw decomposition to improved soil nutrient status and ultimately, crop yield.
  • Optimizing microbial fertilizer efficacy requires considering the compatibility with existing soil microbiomes and specific agroecological contexts.