Response of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis) to bacterial soft rot infection by change of soil microbial community in root zone.

Chinese cabbage, scientifically known as Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis, is a highly popular vegetable in China for its delectable taste. However, the occurrence of bacterial soft rot disease poses a significant threat to its growth and overall development. Consequently, this study aimed to explore the defense mechanisms employed by Chinese cabbage against bacterial soft rot disease. Specifically, the investigation focused on understanding the relationship between the disease and the microbial communities present in the soil surrounding the roots of Chinese cabbage. Significant disparities were observed in the composition of microbial communities present in the root-zone soil of healthy Chinese cabbage plants compared to those affected by Pectobacterium brasiliense-caused soft rot disease. The analysis of 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing results revealed a lower abundance of Proteobacteria (8.39%), Acidobacteriot (0.85), Sphingomonas (3.51%), and Vicinamibacteraceae (1.48%), whereas Firmicutes (113.76%), Bacteroidota (8.71%), Chloroflexi (4.89%), Actinobacteriota (1.71%), A4b (15.52%), Vicinamibacterales (1.62%), and Gemmatimonadaceae (1.35%) were more prevalent in healthy plant soils. Similarly, the analysis of ITS gene high-throughput sequencing results indicated a reduced occurrence of Chytridiomycota (23.58%), Basidiomycota (21.80%), Plectosphaerella (86.22%), and Agaricomycetes (22.57%) in healthy soils. In comparison, Mortierellomycota (50.72%), Ascomycota (31.22%), Podospora (485.08%), and Mortierella (51.59%) were more abundant in healthy plant soils. In addition, a total of 15 bacterial strains were isolated from the root-zone soil of diseased Chinese cabbage plants. These isolated strains demonstrated the ability to fix nitrogen (with the exception of ZT20, ZT26, ZT41, ZT45, and ZT61), produce siderophores and indole acetic acid (IAA), and solubilize phosphate. Notably, ZT14 (Citrobacter freundii), ZT33 (Enterobacter cloacae), ZT41 (Myroides odoratimimus), ZT52 (Bacillus paramycoides), ZT58 (Klebsiella pasteurii), ZT45 (Klebsiella aerogenes), and ZT32 (Pseudomonas putida) exhibited significant growth-promoting effects as determined by the plant growth promotion (PGP) tests. Consequently, this investigation not only confirmed the presence of the soft rot pathogen in Chinese cabbage plants in Hangzhou, China, but also advanced our understanding of the defense mechanisms employed by Chinese cabbage to combat soft rot-induced stress. Additionally, it identified promising plant-growth-promoting microbes (PGPMs) that could be utilized in the future to enhance the Chinese cabbage industry.

Is the NH4 +-induced growth inhibition caused by the NH4 + form of the nitrogen source or by soil acidification?

Soil acidification often occurs when the concentration of ammonium (NH4 +) in soil rises, such as that observed in farmland. Both soil acidification and excess NH4 + have serious adverse effects on crop growth and food production. However, we still do not know which of these two inhibitors has a greater impact on the growth of crops, and the degree of their inhibitory effect on crop growth have not been accurately evaluated. 31 wheat cultivars originating in various areas of China were planted under 5 mM sole NH4 + (ammonium nitrogen, AN) or nitrate nitrogen in combined with two pH levels resembling acidified conditions (5.0 and 6.5). The results showed that the shoots and roots biomass were severely reduced by AN in both and these reduction effects were strengthened by a low medium pH. The concentration of free NH4 + and amino acids, the glutamine synthetase activity were significantly higher, but the total soluble sugar content was reduced under NH4 + conditions, and the glutamine synthetase activity was reduced by a low medium pH. Cultivar variance was responsible for the largest proportion of the total variance in plant dry weight, leaf area, nodal root number, total root length and root volume; the nitrogen (N) form explains most of the variation in N and C metabolism; the effects of pH were the greatest for plant height and root average diameter. So, soil acidification and excess NH4 + would cause different degrees of inhibition effects on different plant tissues. The findings are expected to be useful for applying effective strategies for reducing NH4 + stress in the field.

The use of concentrated monosodium glutamate wastewater as a conditioning agent for adjusting acidity and minimizing ammonia volatilization in livestock manure composting.

In this study, concentrated monosodium glutamate waste (CMGW) was proposed as a conditioning agent to adjust acidity and decrease ammonia (NH3) volatilization in thermophilic aerobic composting based on two incubation experiments. The results showed that with the addition of CMGW, NH3 volatilization of compost mixture under high temperature phase decreased significantly and pH met the current national standard within 5.5-8.5. When CMGW dosage increased to 2% (v/w), the decrease in NH3 volatilization was as high as 78.9%. This effect was enhanced by repeated application of CMGW. Furthermore, although the electrical conductivity increased with the application of CMGW, both the germination index and the microbial respiration of compost mixture implied that CMGW had no negative effects on the maturity of compost, instead, a comprehensive maturity might be accelerated. It was concluded that CMGW was an optional conditioning agent for thermophilic aerobic composting of livestock manure in regards to adjusting acidity and preventing nitrogen loss from NH3 volatilization.