Abstract
PurposeA reasonable cultivation pattern is beneficial to maintain soil microbial activity and optimize the structure of the soil microbial community. To determine the effect of tobacco−peanut (Nicotiana tabacum−Arachis hypogaea) relay intercropping on the microbial community structure in soil, we compared the effects of relay intercropping and continuous cropping on the soil bacteria community structure.MethodsWe collected soil samples from three different cropping patterns and analyzed microbial community structure and diversity using high-throughput sequencing technology.ResultThe number of operational taxonomic units (OTU) for bacterial species in the soil was maximal under continuous peanut cropping. At the phylum level, the main bacteria identified in soil were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria, which accounted for approximately 70% of the total. The proportions of Actinobacteria and Firmicutes increased, whereas the proportion of Proteobacteria decreased in soil with tobacco–peanut relay intercropping. Moreover, the proportions of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria among the soil bacteria further shifted over time with tobacco–peanut relay intercropping. At the genus level, the proportions of Bacillus and Lactococcus increased in soil with tobacco–peanut relay intercropping.ConclusionThe community structure of soil bacteria differed considerably with tobacco–peanut relay intercropping from that detected under peanut continuous cropping, and the proportions of beneficial bacteria (the phyla Actinobacteria and Firmicutes, and the genera Bacillus and Lactococcus) increased while the proportion of potentially pathogenic bacteria (the genera Variibacter and Burkholderia) decreased. These results provide a basis for adopting tobacco–peanut relay intercropping to improve soil ecology and microorganisms, while making better use of limited cultivable land.
Highlights
Peanut is one of the most important oilseeds and cash crops worldwide as the primary source of vegetable oil and protein in developing countries
The Chao1 and Shannon indices of soil bacteria differed among the cropping patterns, with the lowest diversity detected under tobacco–peanut relay intercropping for 4 years (Table 4)
This study shows that the community structure of soil bacteria was markedly influenced by tobacco–peanut relay intercropping, with evident shifts in the composition and abundances compared with those from peanut continuous cropping soil
Summary
Peanut is one of the most important oilseeds and cash crops worldwide as the primary source of vegetable oil and protein in developing countries. Ann Microbiol (2019) 69:1531–1536 intercropping with several types of crops in many ways. Intercropping peanut with sugarcane or other annual crops such as maize, soybean, or upland rice is highly profitable (Feng et al 2016; Li et al 2016; Dana et al 2017). Intercropping of peanut and flue-cured tobacco is a unique cropping system in tobacco-growing areas of China. This method can have a substantial benefit toward alleviating the continuous cropping problem and improve the utilization efficiency of the land
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