Enoki mushroom residue-based biochar loaded with Bacillus megaterium YZS-M06 improves coastal sandy soil and promotes Ipomoea pes-caprae growth

Abstract

In this study, biochar was prepared from Flammulina velutipes residues, and then loaded with Bacillus megaterium YZS-M06, to construct a composite material (BCB treatment) with synergistic remediation function. The improvement effect of this material on coastal sandy soil and its regulatory mechanism on the growth of Ipomoea pes-caprae were investigated. The findings demonstrated that F. velutipes residue-based biochar loaded with B. megaterium YZS-M06 (BCB) exerted a pronounced synergistic effect on the amelioration of chemical properties in coastal sandy land. After 30 days of cultivation, BCB treatment significantly increased soil total nitrogen (0.65 g/kg), total potassium (12.89 g/kg), and available potassium (81.75 mg/kg), as well as urease and phosphatase activities by 221% and 210% relative to the control. It also optimized the soil bacterial community, markedly enriching Bacillus from 46.58% to 57.85% relative abundance, reshaping microbial networks, and restructuring key ecological diversity–function pathways. These combined improvements in soil physicochemical properties and microbial structure effectively promoted I. pes-caprae growth. BCB treatment enhanced root length by 101% and root number by 63%, activated leaf antioxidant systems, mitigated membrane lipid peroxidation, and boosted osmolyte accumulation, thereby systematically strengthening the plant’s stress resistance. F. velutipes residue-based biochar loaded with B. megaterium YZS-M06, through the synergistic interaction of “biochar-functional bacteria”, substantially improved soil chemical properties, optimized microbial community architecture, enhanced stress tolerance of I. pes-caprae, and promoted plant growth. This study combines the resource utilization of agricultural waste F. velutipes residues with functional microbial enhancement. Through the synergistic mechanism of biochar-functional bacteria, the dual goals of coastal sandy soil improvement and plant growth promotion were achieved, providing a new technical route and theoretical basis for ecological restoration in extreme habitats.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Bacillus megaterium / Coastal sandy land / Flammulina velutipes residue-based biochar / Soil micro-ecology / Soil amelioration

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Funding

the Science and Technology Project of the Fuzhou Institute of Oceanography(2025F21)

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

The Author(s)