Effect of a Wood-Based Carrier of SC1 on the Microorganisms of the Soil.

Wood pellets can sustain the growth of spp. in soil; however, little is known about their side effects on the microbiota. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of wood pellets on the growth of spp. in bulk soil and on the soil microbial population's composition and diversity. SC1 coated wood pellets and non-coated pellets were applied at the level of 10 g∙kg of soil and at the final concentration of 5 × 10 conidia∙g of soil and compared to a conidial suspension applied at the same concentration without the wood carrier. Untreated bulk soil served as a control. The non-coated wood pellets increased the total spp. population throughout the experiment (estimated as colony-forming unit g of soil), while wood pellets coated with   SC1 did not. The wood carrier increased the richness, and temporarily decreased the diversity, of the bacterial population, with being the most abundant bacterial genus, while it decreased both the richness and diversity of the fungal community. Wood pellets selectively increased fungal species having biocontrol potential, such as , and , which confirms the suitability of such carriers of spp. for soil application.