Long-Term Straw Return Reverses Antibiotic Resistance Accumulation in Maize Rhizosphere through Integrated Soil-Microbial Mechanisms.
Lin X, Asif M, Li W, Zhang B, Li Y
Soil Health
Every time you compost spent corn stalks or straw back into your garden beds instead of bagging them, you may be doing more than feeding the soil — you could be dialing back the hidden spread of antibiotic resistance genes living in the root zone.
Scientists tracked a farm field for 25 years and discovered that the soil around corn roots quietly accumulates genes that make bacteria resistant to antibiotics — mostly when only synthetic fertilizers are used. But when farmers chopped up the leftover stalks and mixed them back into the soil each season, that buildup actually reversed. The straw appears to reshape the community of microbes living around the roots in a way that keeps antibiotic-resistance genes in check.
Key Findings
Over 25 years, long-term chemical fertilization progressively increased antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factor genes in the maize rhizosphere.
Combining chemical fertilizer with straw incorporation reversed the accumulation of ARGs, counteracting the trend seen with fertilizer alone.
Metagenomic analysis revealed that shifts in microbial community composition — not just chemistry — were a key mechanism driving the change in resistance gene abundance.
chevron_right Technical Summary
A 25-year field experiment found that returning crop straw to soil after harvest can reverse the buildup of antibiotic-resistant genes in maize roots zones, while relying on chemical fertilizers alone allows that resistance to accumulate over time.
Abstract Preview
The impact of long-term agricultural cultivation on antibiotic resistance has emerged as a critical environmental concern. However, previous studies have primarily examined organic fertilizers, and...
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Maize, also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout grass that produces cereal grain. The leafy stalk of the plant gives rise to male inflorescences or tassels which produce pollen, and female inflorescences called ears. The ears yield grain, known as kernels or seeds. In modern ...