Analysis of fungal community in alfalfa rhizosphere soil
Soil fungal communities play a crucial role in promoting plant growth, enhancing plant stress resistance, and maintaining soil nutrient cycling. Currently, there is limited research on the impact of low winter temperatures on the rhizosphere soil fungal communities of alfalfa in cold regions. To address this, the present study conducted simulated field experiments to explore the effects of winter low temperatures on alfalfa rhizosphere soil fungal communities and their symbiotic networks. The findings indicate that the fungal diversity in the wintering period of the alfalfa variety Longmu 801 is significantly higher than that of the variety Sardi (P<0.05). The dominant fungal genera in Longmu 801 during winter are Mortierella and Fusarium. Effective nitrogen and available phosphorus in soil environment factors are identified as the main drivers influencing the structure of rhizosphere soil fungal communities in winter. Compared to the control group, the wintering period increased the abundance of several beneficial and pathogenic species in the alfalfa rhizosphere soil, such as Acremonium, Articulospora, and Lectera. Additionally, due to the impact of winter low temperatures, the fungal networks of Longmu 801 and Sardi alfalfa differ, with Longmu 801 promoting more effective cooperation among rhizosphere soil fungi. This study has significant theoretical and practical implications for uncovering the responses of rhizosphere microorganisms to winter in alfalfa and for monitoring the health of alfalfa grasslands.