Influence on Tomato Rhizosphere Microbiota of Wood-derived Top Soil Cover for Agricultural Use

The purpose of this study is to assess the agricultural applicability of a new biodegradable wood-derived Top Soil Cover (TSC). The TSC is an innovative mulching material created from wood industry byproducts blended with Xanthan gum and glycerol to form a disc that can be applied directly to the soil surface. The TSC is designed to store water, allowing it to be released gradually into the soil. The intrinsic microbial community of the TSC and the soil microbial community involved in the degradation of TSC were evaluated. A pot experiment in greenhouse settings was performed to analyze the efficacy in agricultural practices. The experiment was set up with four different treatment sets: soil without TSC (SC), soil with TSC (ST), soil with healthy tomato seedlings (PC), and soil with both tomato seedlings and TSC (PT), with each treatment having five replicates. The pots were incubated under greenhouse conditions for 52 days, with samples taken at the midpoint. TSC's impact on soil physicochemical parameters and the microbial community was evaluated over time by collecting soil samples at the start and end of the experiment.