[Effects of Medicago sativa-Triticale wittmack intercropping system on rhizosphere soil nutrients and bacterial community in semi-arid region of NorthwestChina]

Semi-arid region of Northwest China is characterized by barren soil, with high pH and high carbonate content. Saline-alkali land is easily formed in this area, which inhibits soil microbial activity and results in soil nutrient loss. To improve soil health in this area, effects of intercropping alfalfa and triticale on rhizosphere soil nutrients and bacterial community structure were examined though a three-consecutive-year experiment. The results showed that soil organic matter (SOM) content of alfalfa rhizosphere in intercropping was significantly higher than that in monoculture, while pH and available potassium (AK) content were lower than that in monoculture. The concentrations of SOM, available nitrogen (AN), available phosphate (AP) and AK of triticale rhizosphere in intercropping were significantly higher than those in monoculture. The bacterial sequences, OTUs, richness, and diversity of alfalfa and triticale in rhizosphere soil were all higher than those in monoculture. At phylum level, Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were dominant, accounting for 31.1%-33.4% and 22.4%-32.2% of the total OTUs, respectively. The relative abundance of Bacteroidete was higher in intercropping than in monoculture. Actinomycetes in the monoculture were significantly higher. Acidobacteria in the intercropping triticale was significantly higher than that in monoculture triticale. Verrucomicrobia in intercropping alfalfa was significantly more abundant than that in monoculture of alfalfa. At genus level, Algoriphagus, Flavobacterium, Gp6, and Chryseolinea in monoculture were greater than those in intercropping, and Cellvibrio showed an opposite trend. Results of correlation analysis showed that the abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were negatively correlated with soil pH, while that of Bacteroidetes were positively correlated with SOM, TN and AN. However, the abundance of Chloroflexi, Planctomycetes, Acidobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, and Gemmatimonadetes was negatively correlated with SOM and AN. Overall, alfalfa-triticale intercropping is an effective strategy to improve soil health in semi-arid region of Northwest China.

我国西北半干旱区土地贫瘠,土壤pH和碳酸盐含量高,容易形成盐碱地,抑制土壤微生物活性,导致土壤养分匮乏。为了改善西北干旱地区土壤健康状况,本研究通过连续3年田间试验,探讨了紫花苜蓿-小黑麦间作对根际土壤养分和根际土壤细菌群落结构的影响。结果表明: 根际土壤中,间作紫花苜蓿有机质含量显著大于单作紫花苜蓿,而pH及速效钾含量显著低于单作紫花苜蓿;间作小黑麦有机质、碱解氮、有效磷及速效钾含量均显著大于单作小黑麦。细菌序列数、种群分类单元(OTU)、丰富度和多样性均表现为间作大于单作。在门水平上,变形菌门和拟杆菌门分别占总分类单元的31.1%～33.4%和22.4%～32.2%,且间作下拟杆菌门比例高于单作。放线菌门数量在单作下显著大于间作,酸杆菌门数量在小黑麦间作下显著大于单作,疣微菌门数量在紫花苜蓿间作下显著大于单作。在属水平上,噬冷菌属、黄杆菌属、Gp6和Chryseolinea数量均表现为单作大于间作,纤维弧菌属相反。相关性分析表明,变形菌门、拟杆菌门与pH呈显著负相关,拟杆菌门与有机质、全氮、碱解氮呈显著正相关;而绿弯菌门、浮霉菌、酸杆菌门、疣微菌门和芽单胞菌门与有机质和碱解氮呈显著负相关。紫花苜蓿-小黑麦间作是改善西北半干旱区土壤的一种有效措施。.

Keywords: alfalfa//triticale intercropping; bacterial community; rhizosphere nutrient; semi-arid region of Northwest.