Effect of rice-rice-rape rotation on physicochemical property and bacterial community of rhizosphere soil

Abstract

Through collecting rhizosphere soil sample from a 30-year long-term fixed location test site that use “rice-rice-rape” crop rotation (RRR) and “rice-rice-fallow” continuous cropping systems (RRF), this paper investigated effects of long-term crop rotation on physicochemical property and bacterial community of rhizosphere soil. Results showed that total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and available potassium (AK) contents in rhizosphere soil under long-term RRR were decreased by 28.09%, 15.69% and 6.25% respectively. Alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen (AN) and available phosphorus (AP) contents were 10.59% and 13.25% higher than those of soil in RRF respectively. Three soil samples collected during different periods also showed that RRR resulted in a lower rhizosphere soil pH than RRF. Clone library analysis revealed that significant difference in rhizosphere soil bacterial community was observed between RRR and RRF continuous cropping. Abundance of α-Proteobacteria, β-Proteobacteria and γ-Proteobacteria were higher in rhizosphere soil of RRR compared to RRF. pH of rhizosphere soil was significantly correlated with Acidobacteria level, while total organic carbon (TOC) content was significantly correlated with Proteobacteria level. Long-term RRR enhanced conversion of N and P in rhizosphere soil, increased bio-availability to crop, and promoted diversity of soil bacterial community. Bacterial diversity in RRR could be ecological significance in maintaining soil fertility and functionality.