Abstract
Chinese goldthread (Coptis chinensis Franch.) represents one of the most important medicinal plants with diverse medicinal applications, but it easily suffers from continuous cropping obstacles in the plantation. In this study, we have selected eight different continuously cropped fields with C. chinensis and fallow field, providing detailed information regarding the diversity and composition of the rhizospheric bacterial communities. We have found a significant difference between fallow field (LH) and other continuously cropped fields in soil pH; the total content of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium; and soil enzyme activities. The results indicate that continuous cropping had a significant effect on soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities under different plant cultivations. The relative abundance of bacterial phyla was significantly altered among the fields; for example, proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were observed to be higher in continuous cropping of maize (HY6) and lower in sweet potato continuous cropping (HH). Alpha diversity analysis showed that different plants with different years of continuous cropping could change the diversity of bacterial communities, among which the effect of maize and Polygonum multiflorum continuous cropping were most significant. Principle coordinate analysis (PCoA) showed that continuously cropped C. chinensis (LZ) and cabbage continuously cropped for 2 years (HS) were slightly clustered together and separated from LH and others. The results showed that the similarity of the bacterial community in the same crop rotation was higher, which further indicated that the bacterial community structure was significantly altered by the continuous cropping system and plant species. Our study provides a foundation for future agricultural research to improve microbial activity and increase crops/cash-crops productivity under a continuous cropping system and mitigate continuous cropping obstacles.
Highlights
Coptis chinensis Franch belongs to the Ranunculaceae family, and it is one of the most important medicinal plants in China [1,2]
In the same plant species, there was no significant difference in soil pH between maize continuous cropping and P. multiflorum continuous cropping fields with the increase in cultivation years
The results indicate that the soil pH was different in different plant cultivated fields and was directly affected by the plant species
Summary
Coptis chinensis Franch belongs to the Ranunculaceae family, and it is one of the most important medicinal plants in China [1,2]. It mainly has the function of clearing heat, dampness, purging fire, and detoxification [3,4,5]. Because of the increase in demand in the market for C. chinensis and some other crops and cash crops, these plants have been continuously cultivated in the same field for a long time. Long-term, continuous cropping of plants in the fields increases the continuous cropping obstacles such as decreasing plant growth and yield, the incidence of some serious root rot diseases, decreasing the soil health and quality, and depleting some nutrients from the field [1]. A growing number of studies have hypothesized that disturbance of the soil microbial population leads to continuous cropping obstacles after extended periods of continuous cropping [7]
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