Little is known about the fungal pathogens responsible for fig (Ficus carica L.) branch canker in the Kashi region of Xinjiang, China. Using a combination of morphological characterization and multilocus sequence analyses of ITS, TEF1-α, and RPB2, we identified fungal isolates obtained from cankered fig branches collected in commercial orchards in this region. The pathogenicity of representative isolates was evaluated by artificial inoculation of fig branches under natural field conditions. Two dominant fungal species, Fusarium proliferatum and Alternaria alternata, were consistently isolated from diseased tissues. In inoculation assays, both species induced typical branch canker lesions similar to those observed in the field. Lesions caused by F. proliferatum were generally larger than those induced by A. alternata. The original pathogens were successfully re-isolated from the inoculated branches, thereby fulfilling Koch’s postulates. This study represents the first report of F. proliferatum and A. alternata as causal agents of fig branch canker in Xinjiang and expands the known spectrum of pathogens associated with fig branch diseases. These findings provide a scientific basis for improved disease monitoring and the development of sustainable management strategies in local fig orchards.

Agricultural soils are hotspots of nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, where carbon substrates act as a critical factor influencing microbial community composition. However, how carbon availability modulates microbial denitrifying pathways and further influences N₂O emissions remains poorly understood. Here, we conducted anaerobic incubations to investigate North China vegetable soil N₂O production and consumption in response to varied glucose concentrations (0, 0.5 (Glu_0.5), 1.0 (Glu_1.0), and 2.0 (Glu_2.0) g C kg⁻¹ d.w. of soil). In this study, the δ¹⁵N^SP/δ¹⁸O mapping approach (δ¹⁵N^SP/δ¹⁸O MAP) and acetylene inhibition technique (AIT) were used to quantify the residual N₂O ratio (r_N2O) and the relative contributions of bacterial (f_BD) and fungal (f_FD) denitrification to N₂O production. The results showed that increasing glucose concentrations significantly increased CO₂ and N₂O emissions, with peak fluxes observed at Glu_2.0 on day 1 (116.22 ± 2.80 mg CO₂-C kg⁻¹ and 1.08 ± 0.02 mg N₂O-N kg⁻¹). Concurrently, δ¹⁵N^SP was also significantly elevated (p < 0.001), indicating enhanced f_FD, which was further corroborated by positive correlations between f_FD and glucose concentration (r = 0.48–0.56, p < 0.001). Nevertheless, bacterial denitrification (BD) still dominated N₂O production throughout the incubation period, except on day 1 in Glu_1.0 and Glu_2.0 of Case 2. Bland–Altman analysis with 95% limits of agreement (LoA) demonstrated strong agreement between the MAP and AIT in r_N2O estimation, particularly under Glu_2.0. All the above revealed glucose-induced denitrifying microbial shifts from BD to fungal denitrification (FD), which consequently modulated N₂O emissions and promoted incomplete denitrification. These findings collectively demonstrate that in vegetable cropping systems, rational carbon management strategies can promote N₂O reduction to N₂, thereby achieving effective N₂O mitigation.

Identifying soil nutrient limiting factors and fertilization effects in the irrigated silty soil region of Ningxia is key to improving wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) quality and yield. A field experiment was conducted with five treatments: conventional fertilization (TF), recommended fertilization (RF), nitrogen deficiency (RF-N), phosphorus deficiency (RF-P), and potassium deficiency (RF-K). The results showed that under RF, soil nutrients remained at relatively high levels, with no significant differences compared with TF. In contrast, RF-N significantly reduced soil mineral nitrogen, total nitrogen, and organic matter compared with TF, and inhibited plant growth, photosynthesis, and plant accumulation of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Wheat yields under RF and RF-K showed no significant differences from those under TF, whereas RF-N and RF-P significantly reduced yields by 42.68% and 22.69%, respectively, relative to RF, mainly due to decreases in spike length and grain number per spike. The increase in yield was associated with synergistic increases in grain number per spike, spike number per hectare, and spike length. Yield components were significantly positively correlated with soil organic matter, total phosphorus, and mineral nitrogen, with soil total phosphorus identified as the environmental factor most strongly associated with wheat yield. Grain protein content was significantly positively correlated with soil mineral nitrogen, while starch content was significantly negatively correlated, indicating that mineral nitrogen is a key factor regulating grain quality. In summary, nitrogen fertilizer is the primary limiting factor in this region. Applying nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium together synergistically enhances wheat yield by increasing soil total phosphorus levels and improves grain quality by regulating soil mineral nitrogen. Thus, this combined fertilization strategy provides a foundation for precise nutrient management and the simultaneous improvement of both yield and quality.

A field experiment was conducted to explore how long-term integrated organic or inorganic fertilization influences soil bacterial communities in dryland farming systems. High-throughput amplicon sequencing was applied to profile bacterial composition and diversity under six treatments—no fertilizer (T0), chemical fertilizer alone (T1), and chemical fertilizer combined with cattle manure (T2), sheep manure (T3), bio-organic fertilizer (T4), or potassium fulvate (T5)—and to pinpoint the major environmental determinants. The results showed that combined fertilization markedly elevated soil nutrient levels, with cattle manure (T2) and sheep manure (T3) exhibiting the strongest effects. The bacterial community was dominated by Actinomycetota, Pseudomonadota, and Chloroflexota. Relative abundances of Pseudomonadota and Bacteroidota increased under combined fertilization, whereas Actinomycetota declined—particularly in T2 and T3. At the genus level, Nocardioides, KD4-96, and Subgroup 6 were predominant. Moreover, T2 and T3 significantly raised the Simpson index relative to T1. Redundancy analysis revealed that soil organic matter (p = 0.002) and pH (p = 0.03) were strongly associated with variation in bacterial community composition. Collectively, long-term combined organic-inorganic fertilization with different organic amendments effectively enhances soil fertility and bacterial community structure, offering a promising approach for nutrient management in the dryland farming regions of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, northwestern China.