A Low-Rank Coal-Derived Soil Amendment Promotes Plant Growth and Shapes Rhizosphere Microbial Communities of Lettuce ( Lactuca sativa )

Xing-Feng Huang, Paul H. Fallgren, Song Jin and Kenneth F. Reardon ()
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Xing-Feng Huang: School of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1376, USA
Paul H. Fallgren: Advanced Environmental Technologies, LLC, Fort Collins, CO 80525, USA
Song Jin: Advanced Environmental Technologies, LLC, Fort Collins, CO 80525, USA
Kenneth F. Reardon: School of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1376, USA

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 21, 1-20

Abstract: Coal-derived soil amendments have been shown to improve soil physicochemical properties and promote plant growth; however, their effects on rhizosphere microbial communities remain insufficiently understood. In this study, a comprehensive assessment of the impacts of a lignite coal-based, microbially processed amendment on lettuce ( Lactuca sativa ) growth, soil properties, and rhizosphere microbiota was conducted. Application of the coal-based amendment resulted in a more than two-fold increase in plant fresh weight compared to untreated soil. The amendment significantly improved soil organic matter content but did not increase phosphate or potassium levels. Rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities were profiled using 16S rRNA and ITS gene sequencing. Principal coordinate analysis revealed that the coal-based amendment, commercial organic fertilizer, and raw coal each induced distinct shifts in microbial community structure. Notably, treatment with the coal-based amendment reduced the relative abundance of Proteobacteria while increasing Acidobacteriota and Chloroflexi in the bacterial community. In fungal communities, the amendment decreased Basidiomycota and enriched Ascomycota. These results suggest that the observed enhancement in plant growth is closely linked to changes in rhizosphere microbial composition and soil organic matter content, highlighting the potential of microbially processed coal products as sustainable soil amendments in agriculture.

Keywords: biochemical growth and fragmentation process; Ginate; lignite; low-rank coal; rhizosphere microbiome; soil amendments (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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