Quinoa/peanut relay intercropping improved microbial community in saline-alkali soils

According to a high-throughput sequencing analysis, IP did not increase soil bacterial alpha diversity but changed soil bacterial community composition. At phylum level, the abundance of Actinobacteriota, Acidobacteriota, Chloroflexi and Methylomirabilota increased in the rhizosphere soil of IP and these bacterial communities had positive correlation with the contents of TOC and NH4+. At genus level, IP recruited more dominant genera such as Vicinamibacterales, Vicinamibacteraceae and Arthrobacter which have positive correlation with contents of K+, NO3-, PO43-, TOC and NH4+. In conclusion, quinoa/peanut relay intercropping decreased soil salt accumulation in early period of peanut, improved bacterial community structure, soil nutrient availability and pod yield of peanuts, thus is a promising planting pattern in saline alkali soil.