Cultivation of Genetically Modified Soybeans Did Not Alter the Overall Structure of Rhizosphere Soil Microbial Communities

Herbicide-tolerant soybeans are the most extensively cultivated genetically modified (GM) crop globally. The effects of GM soybean and associated agronomic practices on soil microbial communities remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the impact of planting GM soybeans with a glyphosate application on soil microbial diversity. The main bacterial and fungal community compositions (phylum level) were consistent for GM and non-GM soybeans. The alpha diversity analysis indicated that the bacterial Shannon index was significantly higher in GM rhizosphere soil during flowering compared to non-GM soil. There were no significant differences in the Shannon, Simpson, or ACE indices of the soil fungal communities between GM and non-GM soybeans in the same period. The PCoA analysis showed no significant differences in community structure between the GM and non-GM soybean soil for either fungi or bacteria during the same period. Although the relative abundance of <i>Bradyrhizobium</i> at the seedling stage was significantly lower in those GM than in those non-GM, it did not affect the final number of root nodules in either soybean type. The relative abundance of <i>Frankia</i> was significantly lower in GM rhizosphere soil during the seedling and flowering stages, whereas that of <i>Thelebolus</i> was significantly higher during flowering and pod filling. The abundance and ecological functions of these taxa warrant continuous monitoring.