AUTHOR=Zhang Linlin , Jin Qiao , Guan Yiming , Liu Zhengbo , Pan Xiaoxi , Zhang Yue , Zhang Yayu , Wang Qiuxia 

TITLE=Trichoderma spp. promotes ginseng biomass by influencing the soil microbial community

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1283492

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2024.1283492

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>Ginseng (<italic>Panax ginseng</italic> C.A. Meyer) has multiple effects on human health; however, soil degradation seriously affects its yield. <italic>Trichoderma</italic> spp. play an important role in improving plant biomass by influencing the soil environment. Therefore, it is necessary to screen efficient <italic>Trichoderma</italic> strains that can increase ginseng biomass and determine their mechanisms.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>Herein, we selected six <italic>Trichoderma</italic> species (<italic>T. brevicompactum</italic>, <italic>T. velutinum</italic>, <italic>T. viridescens</italic>, <italic>T. atroviride</italic>, <italic>T. koningiopsis</italic>, and <italic>T. saturnisporum</italic>) isolated from ginseng rhizosphere soil, and evaluated their growth promoting effects on ginseng and their influence on the microbiome and chemical attributes of the ginseng rhizosphere soil.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Except for <italic>T. saturnisporum</italic> (F), compared with the control, the other five species increased ginseng biomass. In terms of chemical properties, the pH value, available potassium content, and available phosphorus content in the ginseng rhizosphere soil increased by 1.16–5.85%, 0.16–14.03%, and 3.92–38.64%, respectively, after root irrigation with spores of <italic>Trichoderma</italic> species. For the soil microbiome, fungal Chao1 and Ace richness indices decreased. Application of <italic>Trichoderma</italic> enhanced the relative level of <italic>Proteobacteria</italic>, but reduced the relative level of <italic>Ascomycota</italic>. At the genus level, application of <italic>Trichoderma</italic> enhanced the relative levels of <italic>Sphingomonas, Blastomonas</italic>, and <italic>Trichoderma</italic>, but reduced the relative level of <italic>Fusarium</italic>. Available K and available P were the most important elements that affected the structure of the bacterial community, while total K was the most influential element for the structure of the fungal community structure.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>The results indicated that the application of <italic>Trichoderma</italic> spp. could increase soil nutrients and regulate the structure and composition of the soil microbial community, thereby enhancing the biomass of ginseng. The results will provide guidance for soil improvement in ginseng cultivation.</p></sec>