Profiling of rhizosphere bacterial community associated with sugarcane and banana rotation system

Background

Guangxi is the leading sugarcane-producing area in China. Due to the Panama disease outbreak in banana gardens, sugarcane and banana rotation was recommended. A field experiment with the newly released sugarcane cultivar Zhongzhe 1 (ZZ1) was conducted to understand the role of the sugarcane–banana rotation system in shaping the rhizosphere microbiota. Fields in the region possess characteristics of red laterite soil.

Results

Using Illumina HiSeq sequencing to analyze soil samples’ 16S rRNA V3-V4 region, the preceding banana rotation field had relatively greater bacterial diversity than the monoculture sugarcane field. Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria were the dominant phyla, with distinct taxa enriched in each environment. However, the preceding sugarcane monoculture field enriched functional groups related to nitrogen fixation and cellulolysis. Network analysis highlighted contrasting network structures between sugarcane and banana rhizospheres, suggesting differential stability and susceptibility to environmental influences. Furthermore, correlations between soil properties and bacterial alpha-diversity underscored the influence of preceding crops on rhizosphere microbial communities.

Conclusion

This research enhances our understanding of crop rotation effects on soil microbial ecology and provides insights into optimizing agricultural practices for enhanced soil health and crop productivity. Future studies should explore the underlying mechanisms driving these interactions and evaluate the long-term impacts of crop rotation on soil microbial dynamics.

Graphical abstract