Guangman Xu

Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, China
Author    Correspondence author
Molecular Soil Biology, 2026, Vol. 17, No. 4   
Received: 11 Jul., 2026    Accepted: 15 Aug., 2026    Published: 28 Aug., 2026

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Continuous cropping of Atractylodes macrocephala has become a major constraint limiting sustainable production due to soil fertility degradation, nutrient imbalance, and rhizosphere ecological deterioration. This review summarizes the characteristics of soil fertility changes under continuous cropping systems of A. macrocephala, focusing on alterations in soil physicochemical properties, nutrient availability, and biological functions. Continuous cultivation can induce soil acidification, organic matter depletion, structural deterioration, and reduced nutrient supply capacity. Meanwhile, long-term cropping disrupts nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium cycling, alters microbial community composition, decreases beneficial microorganisms, and enhances the accumulation of autotoxic compounds, thereby accelerating soil degradation and the development of continuous cropping obstacles. The mechanisms underlying soil fertility decline are discussed from the perspectives of nutrient imbalance, microbial dysbiosis, and rhizosphere ecological interactions. Furthermore, potential mitigation strategies, including crop rotation, organic amendments, bio-organic fertilizers, microbial inoculation, and intelligent soil fertility management, are reviewed. A case study approach is proposed to evaluate soil fertility dynamics under different continuous cropping years and assess improvement strategies. This review provides theoretical insights for understanding soil degradation mechanisms and developing sustainable soil management practices for Atractylodes macrocephala production.

Atractylodes macrocephala; Continuous cropping; Soil fertility; Rhizosphere microecology; Soil improvement strategies