Plant and Soil最新文献

{"title":"Biochar's dual impact on soil acidity management and crop yield enhancement in acidic soils: a meta-analysis","authors":"Weina Zhang, Jiayin Pang, Junfeng Qi, Yang Lu, Junhe Liu, Mingfu Yu, Haigang Li, Enli Wang, Hans Lambers","doi":"10.1007/s11104-025-07490-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-025-07490-8","url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Background and aims</h3><p>Biochar is a promising and widely used soil amendment to alleviate soil acidification and improve crop productivity. Quantitative analysis of the impact of biochar application on soil pH and crop yield can help promote its optimal utilization.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Methods</h3><p>We compiled 286 peer-reviewed articles, i.e., 224 articles on yield, 188 articles on soil pH to investigate the impact of biochar application on crop yield, soil pH and other physicochemical properties in acidic soils.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Results</h3><p>Application of biochar significantly increased soil pH and yield by 7% and 21%, respectively. The increase in soil pH exhibited a positive correlation with crop yield, and relationship varied among crop type. The most significant increase in soil pH and crop yield following biochar application was observed in strongly acidic soils (pH &lt; 4.5) characterized by low CEC, &lt; 5 cmol kg⁻¹, and low soil OM content, &lt; 6 g kg⁻¹. Among soil physicochemical properties, biochar application had no significant impact on soil OM, increased soil CEC and CS by 27% and 23%, respectively, while reduced soil BD by 9%. Tropical region demonstrated the most significant increases in soil pH 9% and crop yield 35% following biochar application.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Conclusion</h3><p>Considering the implications of biochar on soil pH, soil properties, and crop yield, the incorporation of wood-derived biochar pyrolyzed at temperatures &lt; 500 °C appears to be most suitable for acidic soils, particularly those with an initial pH &lt; 4.5. Our findings can aid in optimizing management strategies for biochar application on acidic soils.</p>","PeriodicalId":20223,"journal":{"name":"Plant and Soil","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144066942","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A sustainable solution for eucalyptus cultivation under environmental stresses: novel Pseudomonas species with plant growth-promoting traits","authors":"Tian Liu, Yuhan Jiang, Weishan Zhang, Lu Lin, Xinlei Fan","doi":"10.1007/s11104-025-07505-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-025-07505-4","url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Background and aims</h3><p>Eucalyptus has unique wood properties and great economic value, but traditional yield-increasing methods rely on chemicals and harm the environment. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are a good solution to this problem, and <i>Pseudomonas</i> is a typical example. The study aims to explore sustainable, eco-friendly alternatives to minimize chemical pollution of the environment by screening and characterizing <i>Pseudomonas</i> with the potential to promote the growth of eucalyptus.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Methods</h3><p>The Salkowski colorimetric method and various selective media were used to screen for bacteria with growth-promoting functions. Genes associated with growth-promoting functions were identified by genome annotation. A combination of phylogenetic, comparative genomic, morphological, physiological and biochemical methods was used to classify and identify the strains.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Results</h3><p>Genomic annotation identified genes associated with growth-promoting functions (e.g., <i>ppk</i> for phosphate solubilization, <i>trpA</i>/<i>B</i>/<i>C</i> for IAA synthesis), consistent with the results of plate experiments, further confirming their growth-promoting potential. The two strains were classified as new species within the <i>Pseudomonas</i> genus, and named <i>Pseudomonas eucalyptica</i> sp. nov. and <i>Pseudomonas eucalyptoterra</i> sp. nov.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Conclusion</h3><p>This study provides new ideas for the development of green, non-polluting biofertilizers and adds to our knowledge of <i>Pseudomonas</i> diversity.</p>","PeriodicalId":20223,"journal":{"name":"Plant and Soil","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144066941","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing growth and transpiration efficiency of corn plants with compost addition and potential beneficial microbes under well-watered and water-stressed conditions","authors":"Xiaojuan Wang, Peter Sale, James Hunt, Gary Clark, Jennifer L. Wood, Ashley E. Franks, Priyanka Reddy, Jian Jin, Stephen Joseph, Caixian Tang","doi":"10.1007/s11104-025-07527-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-025-07527-y","url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Background and aims</h3><p>Water scarcity due to increasing climate variability means improved drought tolerance in crop plants is more urgent. Addition of organic wastes could enhance crop drought tolerance through improved nutrition or increased soil water holding capacity. However, their effect on crop water relations, mediated by plant beneficial soil microbes, remains less well-studied. This study aims to understand how applications of nutrient-rich composts affect the growth and transpiration use efficiency (TE), the ratio of shoot biomass to total transpiration, of corn plants under well-watered and water-stressed conditions.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Methods</h3><p>The study used a factorial combination of four amendment treatments (surface applied fertilizer, surface-and deep-banded compost, and deep-banded compost with biochar) with two water regimes.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Results</h3><p>All compost treatments, irrespective of whether they were applied to the topsoil or subsoil, alone or with biochar, increased TE of corn plants by ~ 10%, relative to surface fertilizer. Compost addition reduced average stomatal conductance and transpiration rate by &gt; 30%, which could be attributed to elevated leaf hormone concentrations of abscisic acid and methyl jasmonate. Furthermore, compost addition increased the abundance of soil fungi and bacteria in the <i>Bacillus</i> and <i>Streptomyces</i> genera, which are known to increase the biosynthesis of leaf hormones. In the deep compost treatments, corn plants exhibited significantly higher root length densities in subsoil layers, resulting in increased subsoil water extraction.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Conclusion</h3><p>Greater biomass production following deep compost addition under water stress was mainly attributed to microbially mediated increase in TE, followed by improved deep root growth and water uptake from the subsoil layer.</p>","PeriodicalId":20223,"journal":{"name":"Plant and Soil","volume":"141 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144066394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Paddock trees promote pasture biomass accumulation and improve soil properties in grazing systems","authors":"Abigail Addo-Danso, Paul Kristiansen, Brian R. Wilson, Onoriode Coast","doi":"10.1007/s11104-025-07543-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-025-07543-y","url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Background and aims</h3><p>Pasture systems occupy approximately three billion hectares and contribute almost $21 trillion to the global economy. They are important for food production, carbon storage, water catchment reserves, biodiversity maintenance and cultural and recreational needs. However, pasture systems sustainability and productivity may be reduced with increasing climate hazards, such as heat stress and drought, due to global warming. Strategically integrating trees into pastoral landscapes may improve pasture system resilience and productivity by benefiting pasture leaf function and enhancing soil fertility.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Methods</h3><p>To evaluate if trees in pasture systems are favourable for pasture performance and sustainability, we conducted field experiments in the New England Tablelands of New South Wales and assessed soil properties and measured leaf functional traits of pasture species, under tree canopies, at tree canopy edges and beyond tree canopies (i.e. in open fields). Functional traits measured were net carbon assimilation, photosynthetic heat tolerance, specific leaf area and leaf nitrogen content.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Results</h3><p>Aboveground and belowground pasture biomass were significantly higher under paddock tree canopies compared with canopy edges and in open fields. Similarly, concentrations of measured soil elements (organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) were all significantly higher under tree canopies compared with canopy edges and in open fields. Leaf functional traits did not vary with proximity from paddock tree canopies, and higher under-canopy pasture biomass was not associated with leaf functional traits. Leaf trait-trait relationships were mixed and varied with proximity from paddock tree canopies.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Conclusions</h3><p>This study demonstrates the significant role of paddock trees within tree-pasture systems in driving pasture productivity, particularly through improved soil fertility. The results emphasize that paddock trees can contribute to climate change resilience of pastures in grazing systems by facilitating greater resource capture.</p>","PeriodicalId":20223,"journal":{"name":"Plant and Soil","volume":"44 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143979585","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reclaiming saline-sodic land enhances soil organic carbon by altering network negative connectivity and complexity of specialists","authors":"LiJun Zhang, Guixiang Zhou, Jiabao Zhang, Lin Chen, Donghao Ma, Congzhi Zhang","doi":"10.1007/s11104-025-07518-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-025-07518-z","url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Background and aims</h3><p>Increasing salinity and sodicity threaten soil fertility and crop yield worldwide and the accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC) is a vital guarantee for soil improvement. However, there is still a gap in understanding how microbes influence the accumulation of SOC in saline-sodic land reclamation (converting saline-sodic land into cultivated land).</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Methods</h3><p>Herein, we conducted a survey of microbes in saline-sodic (solonetz) and cultivated soil collected from the Songnen Plain, and analyzed the impact of distribution patterns of niche breadth, microbial composition and multitrophic networks on SOC.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Results</h3><p>Results showed saline-sodic land reclamation (reducing pH and EC) significantly increased SOC, niche breadth and microbial diversity of bacteria, fungi and protists. Microbes with significant narrow niche breadth (specialists), which associated over 85% underground connections especially negative connections, were extremely important of both network connectivity and SOC accumulation. SEM revealed that weakened negative connectivity and increased network complexity of specialists promoted the accumulation of SOC in saline-sodic land reclamation. Specialists explained 72.4% of the variance of SOC, higher than 61.3% of the whole community.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Conclusions</h3><p>We demonstrated that specialists with high taxonomic diversity could facilitate SOC accumulation in saline-sodic land reclamation by strengthen multitrophic interactions. Our findings enhance the understanding of the effect of saline-sodic land reclamation on soil properties and microbial community and highlight the importance of integrating specialists into models of SOC accumulation, and these findings provide theoretical support for promoting SOC content in saline-sodic land reclamation.</p>","PeriodicalId":20223,"journal":{"name":"Plant and Soil","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143946289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nutrient pool and main input pathways of forest soils in the central Qilian Mountains, northwest China","authors":"Ruochun Wang, Fei Zang, Jiaojiao Wang, Fangyuan Huang, Chuanyan Zhao","doi":"10.1007/s11104-025-07533-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-025-07533-0","url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Background and aims</h3><p>Forest ecosystems, serving as critical nodes in global biogeochemical cycles, sustain productivity by modulating nutrient availability. However, the pools of nutrients which modulate tree growth and soil function remain unknown, particularly with regard to their input pathways into forest soils.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Methods</h3><p>We quantified Calcium (Ca), Iron (Fe), Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Manganese (Mn), and Sodium (Na) concentrations and pools in central Qilian Mountain forest soils (northwest China), with horizon-specific accumulation assessed via Enrichment Factor (EF). Predicted nutrient increments (n-year) and use efficiency (NUE) were modeled to estimate soil enrichment dynamics from atmospheric and litter inputs.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Results</h3><p>The results indicated that these nutrients can leach into deeper horizons and accumulate in mineral horizons. The total pools of Ca and Fe (3.08 × 10³ and 4.43 × 10³ t) in forest soils of the catchment were the highest, whereas the Mn and Na pools (95.8 and 92.8 t) were the lowest. The EFs of nutrients were highest in moss and litter horizons. The concentrations of Ca, Fe, K, Mg, and Mn in forest soils will likely increase rapidly in the next 30 years due to the impact of atmospheric deposition.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Conclusions</h3><p>We conclude that litter inputs more Ca than atmospheric deposition, while atmospheric deposition inputs more Fe, K, Mg, Mn, and Na than litter. Our findings enrich the research on biogeochemical cycle of elements in forest ecosystems of the Qilian Mountains.</p>","PeriodicalId":20223,"journal":{"name":"Plant and Soil","volume":"115 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143979586","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the potential of Trichoderma asperellum TCS007 on growth promotion of pecan seedlings as well as rhizosphere soil nutrients and microbial community","authors":"Hao Cao, Xue-song Li, Hao Han, Sai Chen, Jing Jin, Jing Yuan, Chi-zhou Liang, Jian-fei Lu, Feng Cui, Jie Chen","doi":"10.1007/s11104-025-07500-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-025-07500-9","url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Aims</h3><p>Pecan (<i>Carya cathayensis</i> Sarg.) is an important forest trees in China, the application of chemical pesticides for disease control has caused severe damage to the soil, including reduced fertility and disruption of microbial communities. Although <i>Trichoderma</i> treatment has been shown to promote plant growth and improve soil quality, its effects on the growth promotion of pecan and the impact on soil microbial communities and physicochemical properties remained unclear.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Methods</h3><p>In this study, we investigated the impact of <i>T. asperellum</i> TCS007 spore suspension and its fermented crude extract on the growth and development of pecan seedlings. We also explored the effects of TCS007 treatment on the nutrients, enzyme activities, and microbial diversity in the rhizosphere soil of pecan seedlings during their three main growth stages.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Results</h3><p>Treatment with TCS007 spore suspension or crude extract promoted the growth of pecan seedlings, with significantly higher levels of leaf hormones and defense enzyme activity compared to the control (CK). Moreover, the content of soil organic matter and ammonium nitrogen, as well as the activity of soil enzymes such as catalase and urease, were all significantly higher than CK after treatment, and the soil pH shifted from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. The results indicated that TCS007 treatment significantly increased the richness of beneficial fungi and bacteria in the soil.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Conclusion</h3><p>The results demonstrated that TCS007 treatment significantly promoted the growth of pecan plants, increased enzyme activity and nutrient content in the soil, and improved the soil micro-ecological environment.</p>","PeriodicalId":20223,"journal":{"name":"Plant and Soil","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143946321","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Responses of the potato rhizosphere bacterial communities to Ralstonia solanacearum infection and their roles in binary disease outcomes","authors":"Xianjun Lai, Changhe Wei, Haiyan Wang, Zhouhua He, Feng Zhang, Zhiyong Lei, Xiyao Wang, Shifeng Liu, Lang Yan","doi":"10.1007/s11104-025-07520-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-025-07520-5","url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Aims</h3><p>Bacterial wilt, caused by <i>Ralstonia solanacearum</i> (Rs), often presents as a symptomless latent infection where plants test positive for Rs but exhibit no visible symptoms. While latent infection is associated with pathogen exposure, the role of rhizosphere microorganisms in plant resistance remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether latently infected potato plants can recruit beneficial microbiomes to mitigate Rs infection.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Methods</h3><p>Two potato cultivars, H15 (high susceptibility) and Q9 (low susceptibility), were tested under high pathogen pressure. Full-length 16S rRNA sequencing and microbial network analyses were conducted on rhizosphere samples to assays microbiome responses. Plate inhibition assays and greenhouse inoculation trials were used to screen and validate potential beneficial bacteria from latently infected samples.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Results</h3><p>Resistance to infection differed significantly between the two cultivars, with 86.67% of H15 and 38.71% of Q9 plants developing symptoms, while latent infections were more frequent in Q9 (61.29%) than in H15 (13.33%). α- and β-diversity analyses revealed distinct microbial communities between diseased and latently infected plants. The Shannon index was positively correlated with disease severity (Spearman’s <i>r</i> = 0.733, <i>p</i> = 0.016), and β-diversity analysis revealed a significant association between microbial community composition and disease progression (Mantel <i>r</i> = 0.859, <i>p</i> = 0.0015). Robust microbial networks with higher modularity and clustering coefficients were observed in latently infected Q9 plants, enriched with <i>Pseudomonas</i> and <i>Bacillus</i>. We isolated 43 bacterial strains and clustered them into seven OTUs. <i>Pseudomonas putida</i> XC1 showed the strongest inhibition against Rs and effectively reduced wilt symptoms in greenhouse assays.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Conclusions</h3><p>Latently infected plants actively recruit and assemble beneficial rhizosphere microbiomes, which enhance microbial network stability and suppress pathogen activity. This microbiome-mediated resistance highlights the potential of using beneficial microbes for sustainable disease control.</p>","PeriodicalId":20223,"journal":{"name":"Plant and Soil","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143940228","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multivariate analysis unveils antioxidant-nutrient trade-offs in Maize Hybrids: A hierarchical framework for acid soil tolerance evaluation","authors":"Xinghua Chen, Yuxin Xia, Liuqing Chen, Xiaoqi Yin, Suren Deng, Venuste Munyaneza, Lei Shi, Fangsen Xu, Qiang Zhu, Guangda Ding, Chuang Wang","doi":"10.1007/s11104-025-07525-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-025-07525-0","url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Background and aims</h3><p>Acid soils, characterized by nutrient deficiencies and metal ion toxicity, severely limit maize yields. Cultivating acid soil tolerant maize represents a promising strategy to address these edaphic constraints.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Methods</h3><p>Through controlled pot experiments, 50 maize hybrids were subjected to acidic soil stress (AS) and optimal soil conditions (CK), evaluating 15 morpho-physiological traits at the V5 stage. Multivariate statistical approaches were employed to identify critical tolerance indicators, with subsequent field validation conducted on four selected genotypes.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Results</h3><p>Acidic soil stress induced significant alterations across all measured parameters compared to control conditions and revealed substantial genotypic variation in stress responses. Cluster analysis classified the 50 hybrids into five distinct tolerance categories, with two predominant adaptation strategies. Antioxidant-dependent resistance characterized by elevated peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase (CAT) activities. This strategy prioritized oxidative defense at the expense of biomass production (acid-sensitive varieties). Nutrient optimization strategy demonstrated by superior nitrogen and phosphorus acquisition efficiencies, enabling sustained growth under stress conditions (acid-tolerant varieties). Stepwise regression identified six critical evaluation parameters: plant height, fresh weight, stem diameter, leaf area, total nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation, complemented by antioxidant enzyme profiles and reactive oxygen species levels.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Conclusion</h3><p>This study establishes a comprehensive evaluation framework incorporating 11 validated indicators for screening adaptive maize varieties in acid soil conditions. Field validation confirmed the accuracy of multivariate analysis in selecting acid soil tolerant varieties.</p>","PeriodicalId":20223,"journal":{"name":"Plant and Soil","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143940227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intercropping promotes maize growth by enhancing accumulation of specific metabolites in the rhizosphere and synergistic interaction between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Bacillus","authors":"Yifan Zhou, Yuanyuan Li, Luyi Pan, Hans Lambers, Xiurong Wang","doi":"10.1007/s11104-025-07530-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-025-07530-3","url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Background and aims</h3><p>Both arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and <i>Bacillus</i> can be crucial for enhancing crop yield. However, their contribution to intercropping advantage remains unclear, and the underlying mechanisms require further investigation.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Methods</h3><p>We evaluated the effects of inoculation with AM fungi and/or <i>Bacillus</i> on maize and soybean growth in intercropping systems under combined nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) stress conditions. Through integrated rhizosheath metabolomics and root transcriptomics analyses, we explored the underlying mechanisms by which root exudates contribute to the formation of intercropping advantage.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Results</h3><p>Co-inoculation with AM fungi and <i>Bacillus</i> significantly increased plant dry weight and N and P contents of intercropped maize, but had less effects on intercropped soybean. Under co-inoculation, intercropping significantly increased not only plant growth and nutrient acquisition of maize, but also AM colonization and the abundance of <i>Bacillus</i> in the rhizosheath. Integrated root transcriptome and rhizosphere metabolome analyses revealed that intercropped maize accumulated more tryptophol and naringenin chalcone in the rhizosheath, and exhibited up-regulated expression of the genes involved in naringenin synthesis. Additionally, intercropped maize showed a greater accumulation of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in the rhizosheath and up-regulated expression of the genes involved in tryptophan metabolism and the IAA-signal-transduction pathway.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Conclusion</h3><p>Both intercropping and co-inoculation contributed to growth promotion of intercropped maize. The specific metabolites likely promoted AM colonization and <i>Bacillus</i> growth, and impacted plant IAA levels, thereby enhancing growth of intercropped maize.</p>","PeriodicalId":20223,"journal":{"name":"Plant and Soil","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143940230","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}