Progress has been made in the study of the effects of different irrigation methods on cotton rhizosphere microbiota and soil function in Xinjiang Habitat

Drip irrigation is a commonly used agricultural water-saving method in Xinjiang, but compared with traditional mulched flood irrigation, this method limits the root development of cotton and may lead to premature aging
of cotton.
Microorganisms that inhabit the rhizosphere of plants play a role in ecological processes, such as nutrient cycling, competition or symbiosis; The root structure and morphology of plants can significantly affect the structure and function
of rhizosphere microbial communities.
We know that submembrane drip irrigation changes the root characteristics of cotton, but how the root system selects and filters soil microorganisms and whether it negatively affects microbial function is unclear
.

In view of the above problems, the team of researcher Tian Changyan of Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences based on field experiments, using 16S rRNA amplification sequencing technology and co-occurrence network analysis method, explored the effects of
different irrigation methods on cotton rhizosphere microbial communities and their potential functions.

The results showed that compared with mulched flood irrigation, two-year mulched drip irrigation could reduce soil salinity and increase soil moisture, thereby improving bacterial diversity
.
However, the reduction of cotton root biomass and soluble sugar content reduced potential co-trophic groups such as Bacteroides, Firmicutes and Proteus gamma; Potential oligotrophic groups (e.
g.
, actinomycetes, acidobacteria, and armor) were also added
.
In co-emergence networks, a core network module is closely related to
soil functional potential.
This module contains members belonging to the family Femtomycetes, Blastomonaceae, Nitrosomonas and Erythrospiridae, groups that are positively correlated
with functional genes associated with nutrient cycling.
Drip irrigation significantly reduces the richness of core modules and inhibits the functional potential
of rhizosphere soils.

The results were published in Frontiers in Plant Science
under the title "Contrasting effect of irrigation practices on the cotton rhizosphere microbiota and soil functionality in fields.
" The research was supported
by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Youth Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Link to the article:

Fig.
1 Theoretical framework of the influence of different agricultural measures on bacterial structure and function