Impacts of diverse undersown cover crops on seasonal soil microbial properties
Shrestha, Rashmi; Huusko, Karoliina; Sietiö, Outi-Maaria; Schmid, Bernard; Cappeli, Seraina Lisa; Thitz, Paula; Gerin, Stephanie; Laine, Anna-Liisa; Lohila, Annalea; Heinonsalo, Jussi (2025-06-24)
Oxford University Press
24.06.2025
Rashmi Shrestha, Karoliina Huusko, Outi-Maaria Sietiö, Bernhard Schmid, Seraina Lisa Cappeli, Paula Thitz, Stephanie Gerin, Anna-Liisa Laine, Annalea Lohila, Jussi Heinonsalo, Impacts of diverse undersown cover crops on seasonal soil microbial properties, FEMS Microbiology Ecology, Volume 101, Issue 7, July 2025, fiaf068, https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiaf068
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© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of FEMS. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site-for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of FEMS. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site-for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-202507025053
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-202507025053
Tiivistelmä
Abstract
Positive relationships between plant diversity, microbial diversity, and ecosystem functioning have widely been observed in experimental grasslands. However, the impact of cover crop (CC) species diversification on soil microbial diversity and function in croplands remains underexplored. This study investigated how increasing the diversity of undersown CCs affected seasonal properties of soil microbiomes and whether these changes resulted in legacy effects on next-year crops. In barley fields undersown with functionally diverse CCs, soil samples were collected throughout the year to assess microbial properties. To evaluate legacy effects on the following year's barley, soil microorganisms were sequenced from spring samples collected before CC termination. Additionally, a pot experiment using flax was conducted to study how CC diversity influenced arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal colonization in roots. Results showed that vegetation presence and higher CC richness increased microbial biomass carbon and decreased the microbial metabolic quotient. Legumes’ presence reduced microbial respiration. Fungal and AM fungal diversity also increased with CC richness, while legumes helped suppress fungal pathogens. In the pot experiment, presence of both vegetation and legumes positively influenced AM fungal root colonization. Overall, undersowing diverse CCs, particularly legumes, can increase soil microbial diversity and soil health, benefiting both the current and next-year crops.
Positive relationships between plant diversity, microbial diversity, and ecosystem functioning have widely been observed in experimental grasslands. However, the impact of cover crop (CC) species diversification on soil microbial diversity and function in croplands remains underexplored. This study investigated how increasing the diversity of undersown CCs affected seasonal properties of soil microbiomes and whether these changes resulted in legacy effects on next-year crops. In barley fields undersown with functionally diverse CCs, soil samples were collected throughout the year to assess microbial properties. To evaluate legacy effects on the following year's barley, soil microorganisms were sequenced from spring samples collected before CC termination. Additionally, a pot experiment using flax was conducted to study how CC diversity influenced arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal colonization in roots. Results showed that vegetation presence and higher CC richness increased microbial biomass carbon and decreased the microbial metabolic quotient. Legumes’ presence reduced microbial respiration. Fungal and AM fungal diversity also increased with CC richness, while legumes helped suppress fungal pathogens. In the pot experiment, presence of both vegetation and legumes positively influenced AM fungal root colonization. Overall, undersowing diverse CCs, particularly legumes, can increase soil microbial diversity and soil health, benefiting both the current and next-year crops.
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