The Nitrogen Cycling Key Functional Genes and Related Microbial Bacterial Community α−Diversity Is Determined by Crop Rotation Plans in the Loess Plateau

Abstract

Soil nitrogen cycling microbial communities and functional gene α−diversity indicate soil nitrogen cycling ecological functions and potentials. Crop rotation plans affect soil nitrogen fractions and these indicators. We sequenced soil samples from four crop rotation plans (fallow, winter wheat monoculture, pea-winter wheat-winter wheat-millet rotation, and corn-wheat-wheat-millet rotation) in a long-term field experiment. We examined how microbial communities and functional gene α−diversity changed with soil nitrogen fractions and how nitrogen fractions regulated them. Planting crops increased the abundance and richness of nitrogen cycling key functional genes and bacterial communities compared with fallow. The abundance and richness correlated positively with nitrogen fractions, while Shannon index did not. The abundance increased with soil total nitrogen (STN) and potential nitrogen mineralization (PNM), while Shannon index showed that nitrogen cycling key functional genes increased and then decreased with increasing STN and PON. Introducing legumes into the rotation improved the α−diversity of nitrogen cycling key functional genes. These results can guide sustainable agriculture in the Loess Plateau and clarify the relationship between nitrogen fractions and nitrogen cycling key functional genes.