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Biochar application alters soil properties and microbial gene profiles in a continuous cassava cropping system

agricultural-science
ecology
microbiology

Abstract

This study examined the effects of biochar on soil physicochemical properties and microbial gene profiles in a continuous cassava cropping system. Two biochar application rates were applied (0 and 3 t·hm⁻²), and soil physicochemical indices were determined accordingly. Metagenomic sequencing was then conducted to assess changes in microbial community composition, functional annotation categories, and the abundance of genes related to carbon and nitrogen cycling in both rhizosphere and bulk soils from the cassava field. The results demonstrated that biochar was associated with higher soil pH, soil organic matter, and available nutrient content, with a stronger effect in rhizosphere soil. Biochar application altered the microbial composition and community structure, particularly in the rhizosphere soil. In terms of functional categories, biochar was related to higher gene abundances in “homologous recombination” and “DNA replication” categories (KEGG database), as well as the “replication, recombination, and repair” category (eggNOG database) in rhizosphere soil. Biochar also significantly affected the abundance of carbon cycling genes, particularly in the rhizosphere. The abundance of the aerobic respiration-related gene coxA was increased, while the abundance of the anaerobic fermentation gene LDH was decreased. Additionally, biochar application significantly increased the abundance of genes related to denitrification, nitrogen mineralization, and nitrogen fixation in the rhizosphere soil, while reducing the abundance of genes associated with nitrogen assimilation (gltB), assimilatory nitrate reduction (nirA), nitrogen mineralization (cynS), and nitrogen uptake (nrtA, nasF, cynA, nrtC, and nasD). Together, these results suggest that biochar application may enhance nutrient availability and reshape microbial functional potential primarily in the cassava rhizosphere, providing field evidence for biochar use in continuous cassava cropping.
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