mulching
Mulching is the practice of applying a protective layer of organic or inorganic material to the soil surface around plants. It plays a significant role in plant science by modulating soil moisture retention, temperature regulation, and nutrient cycling, all of which directly influence plant growth and root health. Researchers study mulching as a tool for improving soil microbial communities, suppressing weed competition, and optimizing conditions for sustainable crop and ecosystem management.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-04-30
Researchers tracked soil microbe communities in apple orchards over three years, finding that organic mulches like straw and mushroom compost consistently cultivated richer, more stable bacterial and fungal communities than inorganic management — and those microbial signatures persisted reliably across seasons.
Organic mulches (Miscanthus straw and spent mushroom compost) consistently enriched bacteria associated with organic matter turnover — including Sphingomonadaceae and Flavobacteriaceae — across both 2020 and 2023 growing seasons.
Fungal alpha diversity was largely unchanged between treatments, but community composition shifted significantly between organic and inorganic groups, with organic soils hosting more saprotrophic (decomposer) fungi.
Network analysis showed organic management supported a cohesive, stable bacterial community core, while fungal and broader eukaryotic networks were more modular and sensitive to mulch type.
