The impact of salinization on soil bacterial diversity, yield and quality of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.

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Soil salinization seriously affects soil microbial diversity, and crop yield and quality worldwide. Microorganisms play a vital role in the process of crop yield and quality. Traditional Chinese medicine Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. (licorice) can grow tenaciously in the heavily salinized land. However, the relationship between licorice plants and soil microorganisms is not clear. A field experiment was carried out to explore the effects of three different degrees of salinized soils on (i) licorice crop performance indicators, (ii) soil physical and chemical properties, and (iii) the changes in soil bacterial community structure and functional diversity in a semi-arid area of northwest China. The results showed that with the aggravation of soil salinization, the licorice yield, soil nutrients, and the bacterial abundance of Gemmatimonadetes and Myxococcota showed a downward trend, while the concentration of glycyrrhizic acid and liquiritin, and the bacterial abundance of Actinobacteria and Firmicutes showed an upward trend. The change of licorice yield mainly depended on the soil physical and chemical properties (e.g., EC and alkaline hydrolysable nitrogen). The change of licorice quality was more closely related to the change of bacterial diversity. The effect of bacterial diversity on liquiritin was greater than that on glycyrrhizic acid. Among them, Gemmatimonadetes were significantly negatively correlated with liquiritin and glycyrrhizic acid. These findings suggest that the increased soil Actinobacteria and Firmicutes or reduced Gemmatimonadetes and Myxococcota may provide a healthy and suitable living condition for the sustainable development of medicinal plant crops in a salinized soil ecosystem.