Inhibition of nitrate accumulation in vegetable by Chroococcus sp. and related mechanisms

Vegetable nitrate accumulation is a major threat to food security and human health. The application of a non-toxic and non-nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium, Chroococcus sp., was found to reduce soil nitrate content; however, the influence of Chroococcus sp. on vegetable growth and nitrate accumulation remains unclear. In this study, Chroococcus sp. was introduced to soil fertilized with NaNO₃, (NH₄)₂SO₄, and CO(NH₂)₂. Variations in growth performance and nitrate content of pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.), coupled with changes in soil fertility, were investigated through pot experiments. The varied abundance of rhizosphere bacteria and differential expression of bacterial functional genes were studied using 16S rRNA and meta-transcriptomic sequencing analyses, respectively. Chroococcus sp. reduced vegetable nitrate content by 42.29%, 21.34%, and 27.10% in pakchoi planted in soil fertilized with NaNO₃, (NH₄)₂SO₄, and CO(NH₂)₂, respectively. This reduction was mainly attributed to regulation of the rhizosphere bacterial community by Chroococcus sp. First, Chroococcus sp. stimulated denitrifying bacteria (such as Methylotenera, Gemmatimonas, Nitrosomonas, Nocardioides, Gaiella, Lysobacter and Sphingomonas) that contributed to a reduction in soil nitrate content. Second, Chroococcus sp. stimulated several rhizosphere bacteria such as Methylibium, Micromonospora, Bacillus, Pedomicrobium, Hyphomicrobium, Steroidobacter, Pseudolabrys, Streptomyces, Methylobacillus and Pseudomonas that directly participated in the reduction of vegetable nitrate accumulation, according to their negative correlation with vegetable nitrate content. Chroococcus sp. increased soil fertility and consequently promoted the growth of pakchoi by reducing soil salinity and increasing soil polysaccharide content, available phosphorus, and functional enzyme activity. The increased abundances of various rhizosphere bacteria genera also contributed to an increase in soil fertility and the promotion of vegetable growth. In general, this study demonstrated the effectiveness of Chroococcus sp. in reducing vegetable nitrate accumulation and explored the related mechanisms.