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Background and aims <p>Continuous monoculture of watermelon in greenhouses often leads to soil degradation by disrupting microbial communities and nutrient cycling, while effective mitigation strategies remain limited.</p> Methods <p>We conducted a three-year experiment to investigate the effects of watermelon-Sesbania rotation on soil chemical properties, microbial diversity (bacterial, fungal, archaeal, and viral), community composition, and functional gene profiles related to carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur cycling.</p> Results <p>We show that a three-year Sesbania rotation significantly improves soil properties compared to continuous watermelon monoculture, increasing soil organic matter by 103%, total nitrogen by 53%, available nitrogen by 48%, and available phosphorus by 98%. Extended rotations particularly enhanced beneficial microorganisms, including bacteria (e.g., <i>Chloracidobacterium</i>, <i>Rubrivivax</i>, <i>Pyrinomonas</i>) and archaea (<i>Methanohalophilus</i>), which promote carbon fixation and nitrogen cycling while suppressing monoculture-associated pathogens. Both bacterial and fungal community structures (beta diversity) changed significantly under rotation treatments. Additionally, functional genes related to carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus metabolism (e.g., <i>rbcS</i>, <i>nasB</i>, <i>gntK</i>) were significantly enriched in rotated soils, driven primarily by improved nutrient availability. The soil quality index increased by 92.5% in the three-year rotation, with total nitrogen and organic matter identified as the main drivers.</p> Conclusions <p>Overall, watermelon-Sesbania rotation has been shown to enhance soil quality in greenhouse systems by improving soil properties and functional microorganisms. These positive impacts of this rotational practice become more pronounced with extended rotation periods, effectively mitigating the adverse effects associated with continuous monoculture. We recommend a minimum rotation length of three years to achieve significant improvements in soil health and sustainability.</p>

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Watermelon-Sesbania rotation improves soil quality by enhancing soil properties and functional microorganisms but effects depend on duration

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月14日

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  • Junhai Liu,
  • Qiong Wang,
  • Haikang Zhao,
  • Yunhui Liu

摘要

Background and aims

Continuous monoculture of watermelon in greenhouses often leads to soil degradation by disrupting microbial communities and nutrient cycling, while effective mitigation strategies remain limited.

Methods

We conducted a three-year experiment to investigate the effects of watermelon-Sesbania rotation on soil chemical properties, microbial diversity (bacterial, fungal, archaeal, and viral), community composition, and functional gene profiles related to carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur cycling.

Results

We show that a three-year Sesbania rotation significantly improves soil properties compared to continuous watermelon monoculture, increasing soil organic matter by 103%, total nitrogen by 53%, available nitrogen by 48%, and available phosphorus by 98%. Extended rotations particularly enhanced beneficial microorganisms, including bacteria (e.g., Chloracidobacterium, Rubrivivax, Pyrinomonas) and archaea (Methanohalophilus), which promote carbon fixation and nitrogen cycling while suppressing monoculture-associated pathogens. Both bacterial and fungal community structures (beta diversity) changed significantly under rotation treatments. Additionally, functional genes related to carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus metabolism (e.g., rbcS, nasB, gntK) were significantly enriched in rotated soils, driven primarily by improved nutrient availability. The soil quality index increased by 92.5% in the three-year rotation, with total nitrogen and organic matter identified as the main drivers.

Conclusions

Overall, watermelon-Sesbania rotation has been shown to enhance soil quality in greenhouse systems by improving soil properties and functional microorganisms. These positive impacts of this rotational practice become more pronounced with extended rotation periods, effectively mitigating the adverse effects associated with continuous monoculture. We recommend a minimum rotation length of three years to achieve significant improvements in soil health and sustainability.