Effects of Oxathiapiprolin on the Structure, Diversity and Function of Soil Fungal Community

Abstract

Pesticides can affect non-target microorganisms in the soil and are directly related to soil microecological health and environmental safety. Oxathiapiprolin is a piperidinyl thiazole isoxazoline fungicide that shows excellent control effect against oomycete fungal diseases, including late blight, downy mildew, root rot, stem rot, and blight. Though it can exist stably in the soil for a long time, its effects on soil microbial structure and diversity are not well investigated. In the present study, the effects of oxathiapiprolin on the abundance and diversity of soil fungal communities in typical farmland were studied. The results show that the abundance and diversity of soil fungi were increased by oxathiapiprolin treatment with differences not significant on the 30th day. Oxathiapiprolin was found to change the structure of soil fungal communities, among which Ascomycota and Mortierellomycota were the most affected. Undefined saprophytic fungi increased in the treatment groups, and the colonization of saprophytic fungi can act as a major contributor to the function of soil microbial communities. This study lays a solid foundation regarding environmental behavior with the use of oxathiapiprolin in soil and details its scientific and rational use.