Cover crop biomass and species composition affect soil microbial community structure and enzyme activities in semiarid cropping systems

Cover crops are promoted to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and improve biological health in agricultural systems. However, cover crop effects on microbial communities – key regulators of SOC nutrients functioning not clear semiarid environments. This study investigated the response community structure enzyme activities integration under limited-irrigation winter wheat (Triticum aestivum)-sorghum (Sorghum bicolor)-fallow rotation. The had a randomized complete block design with eight treatments three replications. Treatments were pea (Pisum sativum); oat (Avena sativa); canola (Brassica napus L.); mixtures + (POmix), (PCmix), (POCmix), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) forage radish (Raphanus sativus L.) barley (Hordeum vulgare (diverse-mix) as crops; fallow. Soil samples collected summer 2017 2018 from 0 15 cm depth each plot established fall 2015. Microbial size evaluated via ester-linked fatty acid methyl ester (EL-FAME) analysis, which showed that total fungal similar between soils oats diverse-mix, 31% 41% greater than fallow, respectively. FAME marker for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) was 84% combined activity phosphatase, β-glucosidase, β-glucosaminidase 294 mg p-nitrophenol (PNP) kg−1 h−1 fallow (204 PNP h−1, p = 0.021) 2018. cropping during period crop-fallow rotation could size, abundance, associated (C) nutrient cycling. Among crops, its mixture legumes (pea vetch) brassicas (canola radish) most effective improving biogeochemical cycling hot dry climate.