soil sample sequencing

Rhizosphere is a hotspot of rice-microbe interaction that critically links with soil functions and plant nutrient acquisition. Straw return, as an important agricultural management, has been widely used as a measure to increase soil fertility. However, how roots interact with straw return in structuring rhizosphere communities and nitrogen (N) cycling functions is relatively unexplored. In this study, wheat straw was added into a paddy soil at 1% and 2% w/w, which was used for rice growth. The effects of rhizosphere, straw, and their interaction on soil bacterial community composition and N-cycling gene abundances were assessed at rice maturity stage.