Cow Dung Liquid Mulch Improves Maize Yields: Beneficial Microorganisms Are Enriched and Environmental Risks Are Reduced and Nutrient Cycling Is Promoted

Cow dung liquid mulch (CDLM), which uses cow dung as a raw material, has a good degradability and is a potential alternative to traditional plastic agricultural mulch, but there is a lack of research on the effects of CDLM on rhizosphere soil physicochemical properties, rhizosphere soil microbial fu...

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Main Authors: Getong Liu, Hongjie Wang, Jiajun Sun, Huading Shi, Yang Fei, Jiahui Liang, Yunsong Mu, Chenfeng Liu, Ziyu Han
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-10-01
Series:Agronomy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/14/10/2379
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author Getong Liu
Hongjie Wang
Jiajun Sun
Huading Shi
Yang Fei
Jiahui Liang
Yunsong Mu
Chenfeng Liu
Ziyu Han
author_facet Getong Liu
Hongjie Wang
Jiajun Sun
Huading Shi
Yang Fei
Jiahui Liang
Yunsong Mu
Chenfeng Liu
Ziyu Han
author_sort Getong Liu
collection DOAJ
description Cow dung liquid mulch (CDLM), which uses cow dung as a raw material, has a good degradability and is a potential alternative to traditional plastic agricultural mulch, but there is a lack of research on the effects of CDLM on rhizosphere soil physicochemical properties, rhizosphere soil microbial functions, and crop yields. In this study, the link between maize yield, environmental factors, and functional genes as well as the responses of microbial community functions to CDLM and polyethylene mulch (PE) were studied using metagenomic sequencing. Functional annotation was also performed on clusters of orthologous groups of proteins, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, and carbohydrate-active enzyme sequencing data. The results showed that CDLM significantly increased maize yield by 30.9% compared to CK while maintaining lower soil microplastic levels. CDLM promotes the enrichment of beneficial microorganisms such as <i>Mycolicibacterium</i> and <i>Pseudomonas</i>. The relative abundance of functional genes related to microbial metabolism, soil element cycling pathways, and organic matter degradation was significantly higher in CDLM than in CK. Microbial functional genes were positively correlated with maize yield and environmental factors such as soil nutrients. These results suggested that CDLM can improve maize yield by enriching beneficial microorganisms, reducing rhizosphere soil environmental risks, and enhancing rhizosphere soil microbial function. Rhizosphere soil nutrients and microbial functional genes together mediated the positive response of maize yield to CDLM. This study can provide a scientific basis and data support for the safe use of mulch in the future.
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spelling doaj-art-76f56c19bb1e4e41a62bb6e207b301f72025-08-20T02:11:04ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952024-10-011410237910.3390/agronomy14102379Cow Dung Liquid Mulch Improves Maize Yields: Beneficial Microorganisms Are Enriched and Environmental Risks Are Reduced and Nutrient Cycling Is PromotedGetong Liu0Hongjie Wang1Jiajun Sun2Huading Shi3Yang Fei4Jiahui Liang5Yunsong Mu6Chenfeng Liu7Ziyu Han8Hebei Key Laboratory of Close-to-Nature Restoration Technology of Wetlands, School of Eco-Environment, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, ChinaHebei Key Laboratory of Close-to-Nature Restoration Technology of Wetlands, School of Eco-Environment, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, ChinaTechnical Centre for Soil, Agriculture and Rural Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100012, ChinaTechnical Centre for Soil, Agriculture and Rural Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100012, ChinaTechnical Centre for Soil, Agriculture and Rural Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100012, ChinaTechnical Centre for Soil, Agriculture and Rural Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100012, ChinaHuarui Agricultural Company, Zhangye 734500, ChinaTechnical Centre for Soil, Agriculture and Rural Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100012, ChinaTechnical Centre for Soil, Agriculture and Rural Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100012, ChinaCow dung liquid mulch (CDLM), which uses cow dung as a raw material, has a good degradability and is a potential alternative to traditional plastic agricultural mulch, but there is a lack of research on the effects of CDLM on rhizosphere soil physicochemical properties, rhizosphere soil microbial functions, and crop yields. In this study, the link between maize yield, environmental factors, and functional genes as well as the responses of microbial community functions to CDLM and polyethylene mulch (PE) were studied using metagenomic sequencing. Functional annotation was also performed on clusters of orthologous groups of proteins, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, and carbohydrate-active enzyme sequencing data. The results showed that CDLM significantly increased maize yield by 30.9% compared to CK while maintaining lower soil microplastic levels. CDLM promotes the enrichment of beneficial microorganisms such as <i>Mycolicibacterium</i> and <i>Pseudomonas</i>. The relative abundance of functional genes related to microbial metabolism, soil element cycling pathways, and organic matter degradation was significantly higher in CDLM than in CK. Microbial functional genes were positively correlated with maize yield and environmental factors such as soil nutrients. These results suggested that CDLM can improve maize yield by enriching beneficial microorganisms, reducing rhizosphere soil environmental risks, and enhancing rhizosphere soil microbial function. Rhizosphere soil nutrients and microbial functional genes together mediated the positive response of maize yield to CDLM. This study can provide a scientific basis and data support for the safe use of mulch in the future.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/14/10/2379maize yieldrhizosphere soilenvironmental factorsmicrobiologicalfunctional genes
spellingShingle Getong Liu
Hongjie Wang
Jiajun Sun
Huading Shi
Yang Fei
Jiahui Liang
Yunsong Mu
Chenfeng Liu
Ziyu Han
Cow Dung Liquid Mulch Improves Maize Yields: Beneficial Microorganisms Are Enriched and Environmental Risks Are Reduced and Nutrient Cycling Is Promoted
Agronomy
maize yield
rhizosphere soil
environmental factors
microbiological
functional genes
title Cow Dung Liquid Mulch Improves Maize Yields: Beneficial Microorganisms Are Enriched and Environmental Risks Are Reduced and Nutrient Cycling Is Promoted
title_full Cow Dung Liquid Mulch Improves Maize Yields: Beneficial Microorganisms Are Enriched and Environmental Risks Are Reduced and Nutrient Cycling Is Promoted
title_fullStr Cow Dung Liquid Mulch Improves Maize Yields: Beneficial Microorganisms Are Enriched and Environmental Risks Are Reduced and Nutrient Cycling Is Promoted
title_full_unstemmed Cow Dung Liquid Mulch Improves Maize Yields: Beneficial Microorganisms Are Enriched and Environmental Risks Are Reduced and Nutrient Cycling Is Promoted
title_short Cow Dung Liquid Mulch Improves Maize Yields: Beneficial Microorganisms Are Enriched and Environmental Risks Are Reduced and Nutrient Cycling Is Promoted
title_sort cow dung liquid mulch improves maize yields beneficial microorganisms are enriched and environmental risks are reduced and nutrient cycling is promoted
topic maize yield
rhizosphere soil
environmental factors
microbiological
functional genes
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/14/10/2379
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