Impact of Fertilization and Seasonal Changes on Paddy Soil: Unveiling the Interplay between Agricultural Practices, Enzyme Activity, and Gene Diversity

Yu-Pei Chen, Hsi-Yuan Huang, Chia-Fang Tsai and Chiu-Chung Young ()
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Yu-Pei Chen: School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350122, China
Hsi-Yuan Huang: Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518172, China
Chia-Fang Tsai: Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
Chiu-Chung Young: Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-24

Abstract: Climate change and soil acidification are critical factors affecting crop production and soil quality. This study comprehensively analyzed the impact of fertilization practices, including conventional (CA), sustainable (SA), and unfertilized (BK), on soil properties, enzyme activities, and gene diversity in paddy fields across seasonal changes. Soil pH was significantly influenced by fertilization, with higher pH in BK and a decrease in pH with increased fertilization. Soil enzyme activities and Biolog EcoPlate™ analysis revealed the lowest activities in September, with the highest in December under different practices. Metagenomic analysis showed the highest genetic richness in CA soil, with seasonal variations influencing genetic diversity. From the perspective of genes in species taxonomy, Sorangium cellulosum and Anaeromyxobacter sp. were the most abundant taxa. Soil genes annotated by CAZy, COG, and GO databases revealed highly similar gene structures among different practices. Moreover, the genetic origins of soil enzymes were linked to specific bacterial contributors. While not all gene’s diversity and abundance were associated with soil enzyme activity, arylsulfatase showed an obvious correlation. Enzyme activities proved more sensitive indicators of microbial activity than gene abundance. This study emphasizes the need for rational fertilization strategies to maintain soil enzyme activities, considering agricultural practices and seasonal variations.

Keywords: soil acidification; seasonal change; soil enzyme; Biolog EcoPlate™ analysis; metagenome (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: 2024
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