Amending Greenhouse Soil Using Biochar and Lime Nitrogen Reduces the Correlation between Fungal and Fusarium Communities

Abstract

【Objective】 Biochar and lime nitrogen have been increasingly utilized as conditioners to improve soil quality, yet their effects on soil microbial communities remain relatively unexplored. This study aims to investigate the impact of soil amendment with biochar and lime nitrogen on fungal community diversity and the correlation between fungi and Fusarium. 【Method】 The experiment was conducted in soil columns with biochar and lime nitrogen applied separately or in combination. Untreated soil served as the control. For each treatment, we measured physicochemical properties, fungal community structure, Fusarium abundance in the soil, as well as their interactions. 【Result】 In comparison to the control, application of biochar significantly increased soil pH and available potassium (P<0.05). Application of lime nitrogen alone increased pH, ammonium nitrogen, and nitrate nitrogen in the soil (P<0.05). Combined application of biochar and lime nitrogen significantly increased pH, electrical conductivity, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, and available potassium of the soil (P<0.05). It was found that applying biochar alone or in combination with lime nitrogen significantly reduced the fungal Shannon diversity index (P<0.05), although there were no significant differences in the relative abundance of the dominant fungal phylum between the treatments. Additionally, combined application of biochar and lime nitrogen led to a significant reduction in the relative abundance of Fusarium (P<0.05). The Mantel-Haenzel test revealed significant positive correlations between the Fusarium community and soil conductivity, ammonium nitrogen, and aroma diversity of the fungal community (P<0.05). Network analysis showed that separate or combined application of biochar and lime nitrogen reduced the number of both positive and negative connections and nodes between the Fusarium community and fungal community. 【Conclusion】 The combined application of biochar and lime nitrogen enhanced the competition between the Fusarium community and the fungal community, which is beneficial for mitigating soil pathogens.

Keywords

• greenhouse
• biochar
• lime nitrogen
• fusarium
• fungal community diversity