Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
ABSTRACT Salinity stress, driven by high‐chloride saline water (HCW), poses a significant threat to global agriculture by impairing plant growth and altering the soil microbial communities. Although the role of microbiomes in enhancing plant salt tolerance is well documented, the specific responses of walnut ( Juglans regia ) root and soil microbiomes to HCW remain unexplored. This study investigated the effects of HCW on walnut leaf mineral elements, soil physicochemical properties, and the diversity and composition of bacterial and fungal communities in the root, rhizosphere, and bulk soil compartments. The results showed that HCW significantly reduced essential leaf nutrients (N, P, K, Fe, and Ca) while increasing Cl − accumulation, resulting in leaf necrosis. Soil electrical conductivity, Cl − , and Na + levels were elevated under HCW, with notable reductions in nitrate nitrogen and increases in exchangeable calcium. Microbial analysis revealed decreased bacterial diversity in roots and rhizosphere soils under HCW, along with a shift in community composition characterized by a decline in Proteobacteria (e.g., Rhizobium ) and an increase in Actinobacteria (e.g., Arthrobacter , Streptomyces ). The fungal diversity remained stable, but the community structure changed, with an increased abundance of Mortierellomycota. Co‐occurrence network analysis indicated simplified bacterial interactions and enhanced fungal competition in HCW. Mantel tests demonstrated that bacterial community composition was strongly correlated with Cl − , Na + , and Ca 2+ , whereas fungal community composition was significantly associated with NO 3 − , Na + , and Ca 2+ . These findings highlight the targeted reshaping of walnut‐associated microbiomes under chloride‐dominated salinity and suggest the potential of leveraging salt‐tolerant microbes to improve crop resilience in saline agriculture.
Bai et al. (Wed,) studied this question.