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Synergistic effects of beneficial microbial inoculants and SMS-amendments on improving soil properties and Pinus seedling growth in degraded soils

Summary

This study shows how mixing beneficial bacteria with mushroom waste can improve poor soil quality. The bacteria help break down the mushroom waste into nutrients that plants need, while also creating a healthier soil environment full of beneficial microbes. When this treated mushroom waste was added to degraded soil and used to grow pine seedlings, the plants grew taller with thicker stems and more leaves than in untreated soil. This approach offers a practical way to recycle agricultural waste while restoring damaged soils.

Background

Soil degradation threatens food security and ecological balance globally. Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) is a promising organic amendment for soil remediation, but its effectiveness is limited by poor compost maturity and stability. Plant growth-promoting microorganisms can enhance SMS compost quality through accelerated decomposition and improved microbial community structure.

Objective

To evaluate how mixed microbial inoculants (MMI) enhance SMS compost quality and assess their impact on soil physicochemical properties, microbial diversity, and Pinus sylvestris seedling growth in degraded soils. The study compared single and combined applications of Bacillus subtilis, Azotobacter chroococcum, and Paenibacillus mucilaginosus.

Results

SMS amended with MMI significantly improved soil porosity, pH, nutrient content (TN, TP, TK, AN, AP, AK), and enriched beneficial microbial communities dominated by Proteobacteria and Basidiomycota. The mixed microbial treatment (C5) showed the highest bacterial and fungal abundances, microbial diversity indices, and enhanced plant physiological indicators compared to single-strain treatments and controls.

Conclusion

Mixed microbial inoculants synergistically optimize SMS compost quality and promote soil restoration and plant health in degraded soils. This approach offers a sustainable strategy for circular reuse of agricultural waste and effective restoration of degraded soils, with potential applications for reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizers in agricultural practices.
  • Published in:Frontiers in Microbiology,
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: PMC12434066
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