Artificial soil aeration increases soil bacterial diversity and tomato root performance under greenhouse conditions

Abstract

AbstractSoil aeration can enhance soil enzyme activity and plant growth. These effects may be caused by variations in soil microbial diversity and plant root development. However, little is known about the responses of soil microbial composition, structure, and diversity and plant root development to artificial soil aeration. The aims of this study were to examine the composition, structure, and diversity of rhizosphere bacterial communities and tomato root morphology under four aeration volumes in combination with drip‐tubing placed at two different soil depths. The aeration volumes (V) were 0, 0.5, 1, and 1.5 times (CK, V1, V2, and V3, respectively) the standard aeration volume. The drip irrigation tube burial depths were 15 (D15) and 40 cm (D40). The results demonstrated that soil aeration had a significant influence on root performance (root morphology and activity) and soil bacterial diversity in the tomato root zone. In comparison with the CK treatment, V3 soil aeration increased root length, surface area, tip number, and activity by 7.9%, 6.3%, 14.5%, and 7.0%, respectively. The abundance‐based coverage estimator, Chao index, and Shannon diversity increased by 5.3%, 4.7%, and 3.5%, respectively. The abundance of Acidobacteria increased and that of Gammaproteobacteria decreased in response to the soil aeration treatments; conversely, Geobacteraceae and Halanaerobiaceae were eliminated. Moreover, different subsurface tubing placement depths changed the rhizosphere bacterial community. The results indicate that soil aeration ameliorates hypoxic conditions and provides benefits to soil bacterial communities and root morphology.