The Impact of Stand Age and Fertilization on the Soil Microbiome of Miscanthus × giganteus
- Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States); Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation, Urbana, IL (United States); CABBI
- Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States); Univ. Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica (Brazil)
- Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States); Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation, Urbana, IL (United States)
- Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)
- Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation, Urbana, IL (United States); Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)
Yield of the perennial grass Miscanthus × giganteus has shown an inconsistent and unpredictable response to nitrogen (N) fertilizer, yet fertilization underpins the crop’s environmental and economic sustainability. The interactions among soil microbial communities, N availability, and Miscanthus × giganteus and management may explain changes in plant productivity. In this study, soil samples from different stand ages of Miscanthus × giganteus in a replicated chronosequence field trial were used to investigate the effects of stand age and N fertilizer rates on microbial community structure. We hypothesized that there is a definable Miscanthus × giganteus soil microbiome and that this community varies significantly with stand age and fertilization. Our results showed that the main phyla in soil microbial communities, regardless of plant age, are similar but microbial community structures are significantly different. The variation in observed microbial communities generally decreases with older stand ages. The amount of N fertilizer applied also affected the microbial community structure associated with different aged Miscanthus × giganteus. Specifically, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria (Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria) and Acidobacteria (subgroup Gp1) increased shortly after fertilization and was more associated with younger Miscanthus × giganteus. Furthermore, our results show a significant relationship between bacterial α diversity and fertilization rates and that this response is also affected by stand age. Overall, our results emphasize linkages between microbial community structure, plant age, and fertilization in Miscanthus × giganteus.
- Research Organization:
- Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI), Urbana, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture; Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Brazil
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC0018420
- OSTI ID:
- 1782469
- Journal Information:
- Phytobiomes Journal, Journal Name: Phytobiomes Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 5; ISSN 2471-2906
- Publisher:
- American Phytopathological Society (APS)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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