Influence of planting yellowhorn (Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge) on the bacterial and fungal diversity of fly ash

Abstract

Phytoremediation is a low-cost solution to fly ash pollution and the rhizosphere interactions between plant roots and the fly ash microbiome were important for the phytoremediation. To analyze the dynamic changes of the rhizosphere microbiome during yellowhorn cultivation in fly ash, the bacterial 16S rRNA gene V3–V4 region and the fungal ITS region of the rhizosphere microbiome were sequenced using Illumina MiSeq technology. The changes in fly ash physicochemical properties and the heavy metal content of different yellowhorn tissues were also analyzed. The results showed that both the bacterial and fungal communities were noticeably different after yellowhorn cultivation compared with the control sample. Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria levels increased (p < 0.05) and Firmicutes and Actinobacteria decreased (p < 0.05) in the bacterial community after yellowhorn cultivation. In the fungal community, Ascomycota and Mortierellomycota decreased (p < 0.05), while Chytridiomycota increased (p < 0.05). The levels of four heavy metals (Cr, Cd, Hg, Pb and As) decreased in the fly ash after yellowhorn cultivation. These metals were absorbed by the yellowhorn plants and accumulated in the fibrous root, taproot, stem and leaf tissues of these plants. Accordingly, the abundance of bacteria that could solubilize heavy metals increased (p < 0.05). In summary, the cultivation of yellowhorn affected the composition of the rhizosphere microbial communities in fly ash, which is of great significance for the biological remediation of fly ash.