Rhizosphere microbiome modulated effects of biochar on ryegrass 15N uptake and rhizodeposited 13C allocation in soil

Yingyi Fu, Amit Kumar, Lijun Chen, Yuji Jiang, Ning Ling, Runze Wang, Qiong Pan, Bhupinder Pal Singh, Marc Redmile-Gordon, Lu Luan, Qin Li, Quan Shi, Brian J. Reid, Yunying Fang, Yakov Kuzyakov, Yu Luo, Jianming Xu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background and aims:
Incorporation of biochar into the soil sequesters C for millennia, but the concomitant effects on plant rhizodepositions and nutrient (e.g., nitrogen; N) trade-offs via interactions of heterotrophic microbiota, might offset this sequestration.

Methods:
Ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) with and without biochar amendment were pulse labelled in a 13CO2 atmosphere and 15N fertilizer added. Ryegrass and soils were destructively sampled at 16 and 30 days after seedling emergence. Isotope analysis was coupled with MiSeq sequencing of bacterial (16s rRNA) and fungal (ITS) genes to identify the effect of biochar on the associated microbiota involved in 13C allocation into soil aggregates and promotion of 15N uptake by L. perenne.

Results:
Biochar increased root biomass and 15N uptake but decreased rhizodeposited-13C recovery from large and small macroaggregates (by 12–57% and 57–72%, respectively). These changes in 13C flow and 15N uptake were accompanied by an increase in microbial biomass, and enhanced negative correlations between bacteria and fungi. O2PLS indicated members of seventeen genera that were correlated with soil stabilization of rhizodeposits in soil and plant N-uptake. For instance, Xanthomonadales (Proteobacteria) and RB41 (Acidobacteria), previously reported to be plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, were found to be positively correlated with 15N uptake by L. perenne.

Conclusions:
Our research explored the genera associated with biochar-modified 15N uptake by Lolium perenne and photosynthate 13C allocation into soil aggregates. Future research with SIP is required to fully assess microbial turnover, the ubiquity of similar rhizosphere microbiota and their fundamental importance for sequestration in the plant-soil-microbe-biochar systems.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)359–377
Number of pages19
JournalPlant and Soil
Volume463
Early online date24 Mar 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2021

Keywords

  • Aggregates compositions; rhizosphere microbiome
  • Biochar functions
  • C pulse labelling
  • Carbon sequestration
  • N fertilizers
  • Rhizodeposits

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