Liquid laccase production by Phomopsis liquidambari B3 accelerated phenolic acids degradation in long-term cropping soil of peanut

The accumulation of phenolic acids in soil is one of the main problems associated with continuous cropping of peanut. Although laccases secreted by fungi can efficiently transform phenolic acids, there are few reports on the use of these enzymes to bioremediate continuous cropping soil. Food waste and wheat straw are waste products; however, they could be used productively as resources for laccase production by the endophytic fungus Phomopsis liquidambari B3. We cultured Phomopsis liquidambari B3 in medium containing food waste as the main nitrogen source and wheat straw as the main carbon source. In order to study the effects of fermentation liquid on phenolic acid degradation, rhizosphere soil microbial communities and peanut seedling growth, the fermentation product, which had high laccase activity, was added to continuously cropped soil of peanut. The concentration of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, and coumaric acid in soil had decreased by 57.4, 52.5, and 49.4%, respectively, compared with no-treatment control during 28 days. Analysis of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiles showed that the bacterial and fungal community structures in rhizosphere soil were affected by changes in the phenolic acids concentration. The biomass of peanut plants and the number of root nodules were increased 68.3% and 5.9-fold, respectively. These results showed that the laccase product reduced the accumulation of phenolic acids in soil, the decrease in phenolic acids concentration and the increase in certain dominant microorganisms promoted peanut seedling growth and nodulation. This technology provides a new strategy for bioremediation of continuous cropping soil, while simultaneously reducing waste and protecting the environment.