Close correlation between sugarcane ratoon decline and rhizosphere ecological factors

Rhizosphere ecological factors that affect sugarcane ratoons are crucial components in the feedback mechanisms between the sugarcane plant and soil environment. However, systematic investigations on these dynamics are lacking. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between sugarcane ratoon decline and rhizosphere ecological factors. In first-year sugarcane ratoons, ecological factors such as soil available potassium content, soil nitrogen fixation, and soil peroxidase activity were significantly positively correlated with sugarcane growth (P < 0.05) compared to that of third-year sugarcane ratoons. Significant intergroup disparities in the rhizosphere soil microbial community structure were observed based on different ratoon ages (P < 0.01), while highly significant intergroup differences in endophytic microbial community structure were observed based on a Jaccard distance analysis (P < 0.01). Generalised additive model analysis revealed a significant positive correlation (P < 0.05) between sugarcane growth properties and the alpha diversity of rhizosphere soil bacteria and endophytic bacteria but a predominantly negative correlation (P > 0.05) between the alpha diversity of endophytic fungi and key sugarcane growth indicators. The deterioration of mainly non-microbial ecological factors in rhizosphere soil (P < 0.05) with increasing ratoon age may represent a significant factor contributing to sugarcane ratoon decline. The fungal community significantly impacted soil enzyme activity, while the microbial community indirectly influenced sugarcane yield through its effect on soil enzyme activity. Therefore, endophytic fungi, particularly Ascomycota species, may play a crucial role in sugarcane diseases.