Biochar amendment improves Morchella sextelata yield by enhancing soil NO3--N availability and increasing the diversity while decreasing the absolute abundance of fungal community

Abstract

Black morel (Morchella sextelata) is widely regarded as a post-fire mushroom because of its prolific fruiting in post-fire forest soils enriched with charcoal. Intriguingly, artificial cultivation of M. sextelata often incorporates biochar as a soil amendment to enhance yield, although the underlying physicochemical and ecological mechanisms remain unclear. This study evaluates the effects of biochar amendment (0, 7.5, 15, and 30 t ha⁻¹) in a sandy loam soil on the yield of morel fruiting and the composition of soil bacterial and fungal communities. Our findings reveal that higher biochar levels significantly increased fungal α-diversity, promoted saprotrophic, symbiotrophic and ectomycorrhizal guilds, suppressed fungal pathogens, and lowered the absolute abundance of competing fungi. Fungal ecological networks were more cohesive and resilient than bacterial networks, with a moderate biochar level (15 t ha⁻¹) promoting optimal stability. Machine-learning based correlation analysis reveal that the concentration of soil NO₃^--N upon fructification played a key role (R² = 0.928, RMSE = 0.084, P < 0.001) in microbial community dynamics and morel yield. Structural equation model further show that soil nitrogen contents (total N, NO₃^--N and NH₄⁺-N) served as the direct driver of fungal diversity (path coefficient = 1.062, P < 0.05), which in turn exerted a strong indirect influence on morel yield. These findings not only highlight the potential of biochar amendments to boost mushroom productivity but also provide insights into why morels fruit abundantly in post-fire environments, where altered N availability and reduced fungal competition likely play key roles.