Apple Replant Disorder of Pingyitiancha Rootstock is Closely Associated with Rhizosphere Fungal Community Development

Abstract The aim of this study was to examine rhizosphere fungal community development in apple replant soil and a new planting soil in Beijing through a potted experiment with the apomictic triploid Pingyitiancha rootstock using the Illumina Miseq method. Steam sterilization significantly enhanced seedling growth in replant soil, while root segment addition did not enhance replant disease symptoms. The bulk soil of the replant site (ReSoil) and the new soil of the planting site (NewSoil) were sampled prior to nursery planting, and rhizosphere soils were r Qinping esampled after one growing season as RePlant and NewPlant, respectively. Approximately 48.3, 47.9, 59.8 and 68.8% of the operational taxonomic units ( OTU s) were classified as Ascomycota and Basidiomycota in the community of ReSoil, New Soil, RePlant and NewPlant, respectively. Shannon indices suggested that planting apple nurseries increased the fungal diversity of rhizosphere soil in both soils. Apple replant disorder ( ARD ) was highly associated with an unbalanced microbial ecosystem with more saprophytic and pathogenic fungi, but less species known to produce antimicrobial metabolites, while Rhizopus, Pyrenochaeta and Eurotium were identified as the key factors in ARD .