Perilla straw returning effect on the soil microbial community structure and Sclerotinia relative abundance in old ginseng fields

• Published in: Physiological and molecular plant pathology Vol. 139; p. 102835
• Main Authors: Zhao, Li, Fu, Yu, Gao, Ri, Wu, Lunpeng, Piao, Xinghui, Yin, Chengri
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2025
• Subjects: Microbial community; Panax ginseng; Perilla straw return; Sclerotinia; Perilla straw return; Panax ginseng; Sclerotinia; Microbial community
• ISSN: 0885-5765
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.102835

The imbalance of soil microecology and the deterioration of soil physical and chemical properties following ginseng cultivation in agricultural fields are primary factors contributing to soil-borne diseases and obstacles associated with continuous cropping. In recent years, Perilla has emerged as a significant subject for research in crop rotation due to its antibacterial compounds, including rosmarinic acid, perilla essential oil and perillaldehyde. In this study, high-throughput sequencing technology was utilized to sequence the 16S rRNA of bacteria and the ITS of fungi after the return of Perilla to the field. The results indicated that the number of fungal and bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and the number of unique OTUs were highest in the soil following the return of Perilla. The microbial diversity of the samples collected three months after the return of Perilla (T1-ZS) was significantly higher than that of the other treatments (p < 0.05), while the fungal community structure in the soils of Perilla returned after 12 months and 15 months (T2-ZS and T3-ZS) were more similar. Additionally, the bacterial community structures of the soils in ginseng samples collected during the first and third sampling periods (T1-RS and T3-RS) were also closely related. The dominant fungal phyla identified across nine different samples were Basidiomycota and Mortierellomycota. Notably, Sclerotinia was significantly enriched in the samples collected during second and third sampling periods (T2-RS and T3-RS), with relative abundances reaching 41.78 % and 66.04 %, respectively. While Fusarium was present in all nine soil samples, exhibiting the highest relative abundance in the T2-RS samples. Among the bacterial communities, Proteobacteria and Acidobacteriota were the predominant phyla, with Sphingomonas showing the highest relative abundance, the relative abundance of norank_Micropepsaceae in the three Perilla return samples was notably higher than in the other two treatments. •Perilla rotation could enhance soil microbial richness and evenness.•Relative abundance of Sclerotinia in ginseng-cultivated soil reached 66.04 %.•Perilla straw return decreased abundance of Sclerotinia.•Perilla straw return increased abundance of Trechispora and norank_Micropepsaceae.