articleSoil Biology and BiochemistryFeb 25, 2025HYBRID OA

Unlocking soil health: Are microbial functional genes effective indicators?

China Agricultural University · Wageningen University & Research · +1 more institution

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Abstract

Soil microbial community plays crucial roles in promoting soil functions and maintaining soil health. Microbial functional gene abundances are actively involved in soil processes which supports soil functions and wider soil health. However, their suitability as indicators to assess soil health is still debatable. In this study, we sampled soils from a 10-year long-term fertilization experiment in a wheat-maize cropping system on the North China Plain. The treatment included no fertilizer (Control), chemical fertilizers only (NPK), NPK + organic manure, NPK + straw, and NPK + manure + straw. We quantified seventeen functional genes involved in carbon ( cbbL, GH31 ), nitrogen ( nifH, ureC, chiA, A-amoA, B-amoA,…

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