Shaokun Sun1,2, Meng Li2, Lili Zhao1, Shujun Liu1*
1Institute of Vegetable Research, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
2College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agriculture University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
*Corresponding author’s email: llssjj2000@163.com
Received: 04 May 2025 / Accepted: 11 September 2025 / Published Online: 20 September 2025
Abstract
Fertiliser application can enhance soil fertility while influencing the structure and diversity of archaeal communities in croplands. However, the relationship between soil fertility and Archaea remains insufficiently explored. Here, we examined this interaction in a 34-year vegetable fertilisation experiment in Northeast China. Six treatments were selected: an unfertilised control (CK), organic fertiliser alone (MN0), nitrogen fertiliser combined with organic fertiliser (MN1 and MN2), and nitrogen fertiliser alone (N1 and N2). Results indicated that Organic fertilizer treatments (MN0/MN1/MN2) significantly increased soil organic matter (36.1%–51.1%), total nitrogen (51.1%–88.9%), available phosphorus (2.2–5.1-fold), and available potassium (3.0–4.0-fold), whereas sole nitrogen fertilization (N1/N2) induced soil acidification and salinization risk. Combined fertilization (MN1) stimulated hydrolase activities (urease increased by 149%–217%, invertase increased by 60–130%), boosted enhanced nitrogen-phosphorus transformation (neutral phosphatase increased by 102%); Thaumarchaeota (87%) dominated as the core phylum, exhibiting significant negative correlations with SOM, EC, and catalase (CAT) activity (P<0.05); Sole nitrogen fertilization enriched Euryarchaeota (N1:10%) and Marine Group II (N1:9.5%); Organic amendments promoted unclassified archaeal proliferation (MN1:29%), with LEfSe identifying Soil Crenarchaeotic Group SCG as a biomarker for organic treatments; The tomato yield under combined fertilization (MN1) reached 2.5 times that of CK, showing significant correlation with Thaumarchaeota abundance (P<0.05). These results suggested that integrated organic-inorganic fertilization synergistically improves nutrient use efficiency and sustains soil health by optimizing archaeal community structure (elevating Thaumarchaeota/unclassified taxa) and enhancing enzymatic networks, providing microbial regulation targets for precision agriculture in greenhouse systems.
Keywords: Archaea, Soil fertility, Soil enzymes, High throughput sequencing
