The impact of microbial-mediated crop residues and their humification products on transformation of soil organic matter
Authors: Zhang Yifeng 
Published: March 2024

Given that microbial mediated input of crop residues and their humification products may be more conducive to the transformation and sequestration of soil organic matter. The study aims to use 13C15N double labeling tracing technology in incubation experiments to quantify the differences in the fate and distribution contribution of the C and N of crop residues and their decomposition products under the mediation of different exogenous microorganisms with different life strategies in soil organic matter (SOM) and dissolved organic matter (DOM). The study utilized exogenous microorganisms, such as Trichoderma reesei, Trichoderma harzianum,&#160;and Phanerochaete chrysosporium&#160;(K-strategists), as well as Bacillus subtilis&#160;(r-strategist). Additionally, a combination microbial treatment comprised of Trichoderma harzianum, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, and Bacillus subtilis&#160;was also employed. The study also aims to reveal the variation patterns of soil active organic carbon and humic carbon components in response to different exogenous microorganisms. The main conclusions of the study are as follows:The addition of exogenous k-strategy microorganisms was more favorable than r-strategy microorganisms in mediating the increase in soil SOM contribution of crop residues derived C and N.Trichoderma treatments were more adept at mediating crop residues derived dissolvd organic carbon, and k-strategy microorganisms were more likely to stimulate soil production of dissolved nitrogen.&#160;Although the combination microbial treatment was the most effective at translational immobilization of crop residues in SOM, the Trichoderma reesei&#160;treatment had the best ability to increase soil organic carbon content by mediating crop residues translational immobilization with the lowest depletion of SOM.&#160;In addition, the addition of K-strategy microorganisms was more effective than r-strategy microorganisms in increasing the content of labile organic carbon and humic carbon fractions in the soil.
Fungimediated humification products was significantly better than bacterial and no microbe&#160;mediated for translational immobilization in soil, and the fungal&#160;treatments contributed more to DOM and stimulated soil&#160;deriving&#160;dissolved nitrogen.&#160;The Trichoderma reesei&#160;treatment was the most effective in immobilizing the carbon and nitrogen dereived from humification products.&#160;Fungi mediated humification products was superior to bacteria in boosting labile organic carbon and humic acid fractions.&#160;The Trichoderma reesei&#160;treatment was the most effective in boosting contents of easily oxidizable organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon and humic acid carbon, whereas the combination microbial treatments significantly increased fvlic acid carbon and substantially reduced PQ values in the early part of the experiment, and the three fungal treatments were effective in increasing fvlic acid carbon in the later part of the experiment.
In summary, these conclusions provide a theoretical basis for seeking suitable microbial regulation of farmland management measures to improve SOM transformation and humification effects and provide practical reference for scientifically guiding agricultural production and soil carbon sequestration and fertilization.