Effects of Different Modified Materials on Soil Fungal Community Structure in Saline-Alkali Soil

Abstract

Studying the effects of different modified materials on the physicochemical properties and fungal community structure of saline-alkali soil can provide theoretical basis for reasonable improvement of saline-alkali soil. High-throughput sequencing technology was used to explore the effects of five treatments, namely, control (CK), desulfurization gypsum (T1), soil ameliorant (T2), organic fertilizer (T3), and desulfurization gypsum compounds soil ameliorant and organic fertilizer (T4), on soil physicochemical properties and fungal community diversity, composition, and structure of saline-alkali soil in Hetao Plain, Inner Mongolia. The results showed that compared with those in CK, the contents of available phosphorus, available potassium, organic matter, and alkali hydrolysis nitrogen were significantly increased in modified material treatments, and the T4 treatment significantly decreased soil pH. Modified treatments increased the Simpson and Shannon indexes of fungi but decreased the Chao1 index. The dominant fungi were Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mortierellomycota, and the dominant genera were Mortierella, Conocybe, Botryotrichum, Fusarium, and Pseudogymnoascus. The application of modified materials increased the relative abundance of Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Fusarium, and Pseudogymnoascus, while decreasing the relative abundance of Mortierellomycota, Chytridiomycota, and Mortierella. LEfSe analysis showed that modified treatments altered the fungal community biomarkers. Correlation analysis showed that pH and available potassium were the main environmental factors affecting fungal community structure. The results can provide scientific basis for improving saline-alkali soil and increasing soil nutrients in Hetao Plain, Inner Mongolia.