Reducing antibiotic resistance genes in soil: The role of organic materials in reductive soil disinfestation

Increasing attention has been given to the role of reductive soil disinfestation (RSD) on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soil. The selection of organic materials in RSD is crucial to the effectiveness of the RSD method. However, the effects of distinct organic materials on ARGs remains unclear. In this study, we selected straw and rapeseed meal as the organic materials in RSD and explored their effects on ARGs. The results showed that using straw significantly reduced the abundance of ARGs, high-risk ARGs, and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) by 31.5 %–65.8 %, while using rapeseed meal led to ARGs enrichment. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis identified MGEs and microbial communities as the primary drivers of ARGS changes under different organic materials. The abundance of MGEs was effectively controlled in straw treatments, reducing the potential for horizontal gene transfer of ARGs. Bacterial diversity was significantly lower in the straw treatments compared to the rapeseed meal treatments, potentially leading to a reduced abundance of ARGs host bacteria. Network co-occurrence analysis further revealed that Symbiobacteraceae and Bacillus were potential bacterial hosts of ARGs. In straw treatments, these genera’ abundance decreased by 12 %–100 % compared to the control (CK) and rapeseed meal groups, further inhibiting the spread of ARGs. These findings demonstrate that RSD with straw as the organic material is more effective in mitigating ARGs compared to rapeseed meal, providing insights into controlling soil antibiotic resistance risks and utilizing agricultural waste resources.