Effects of food waste mulch on the physicochemical quality and fungal community diversities of desert soil in Southeast Iran

In semi-arid and arid regions, mulching with various materials is one of the highly significant ways to keep soil surface coverage. This approach helps efficiently reduce drought stress and soil erosion, thus preserving soil composition and ecosystem. The research aimed to pinpoint the physicochemical alterations and fungal diversity brought on by food waste mulch (FWM) in the desert soil. An experimental field assessment was conducted from early April (spring) to late August (summer) 2021 in the soil of the Jupar desert, the main watershed of the Central Plateau, southeastern Iran. The mulch was made from a combination of clay (70%), food waste (15%), and water and sprayed in 3 plots on the Jupar desert soil surface as a case group. Moreover, 3 plots of the Jupar desert soil and clay were selected as a non-mulch-controlled surface (control groups). The physicochemical changes were studied in all groups including FWM, desert soil, and clay. Besides, the samples were cultured and checked daily to determine the growth of fungal colonies. All fungal isolates were characterized to the species level by phenotypical and molecular methods. Sequence analysis of the ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS2 regions was done. The statistical findings displayed that the physical and chemical characteristics of FWM (case group) were significantly different compared to clay and soil samples (control groups) (P<0.05). Phenotypic and genotypic analysis of the fungal consortium showed that the most frequent filamentous and yeast fungi belonged to the Alternaria and Naganishia genera, respectively. Identified fungi are classified as growth-inducing and anti-pest fungi. This study showed that adding FWM of organic matter can cause partial variety in soil fungal diversity and stabilize the desert soil due to enriching the organic matter in eroding soils.