Direct application of bacterial fermentation broth rich in extracellular polymeric substances for desert soil stabilization.

Authors

Feng Wen, Guo Yang, Shihao Niu, Guangyi Liu, Qing He, Xingsheng Yang, Linquan Bai, Ye Deng, Zhanfeng Xia

Published in

Bioresource technology. Pages 136202. Nov 06, 2026. Epub Nov 06, 2026.

Abstract

Rapid stabilization of wind-erodible sandy surfaces remains challenging because natural biocrust development is slow under harsh desert conditions. This study evaluated an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS)-rich fermentation broth of Paenibacillus sp. TRM82006 as a directly applicable microbial biostabilization agent. The broth was produced in a 100 L fermenter and applied twice at EPS-equivalent inputs of 0.182-0.546 g m^-2 per application during an 80-day field experiment in the Taklimakan Desert. Mean sediment mass collected per 10-day interval was 51-66 % lower in the broth-treated monitoring plots than in the water-treated control plot. These comparisons were descriptive, with one monitoring plot per treatment. Treated surfaces exhibited enhanced particle aggregation and bridging, increased contributions of oxygen-containing surface functional groups, and changes in zeta potential. Broth application also reduced bacterial diversity, enriched Bacillota, and produced denser inferred bacterial association networks. These results demonstrate the feasibility of directly applying an EPS-rich bacterial fermentation broth to promote biocrust development, highlighting its potential as a bio-based approach for stabilizing wind-erodible desert surfaces.

PMID:
42994732
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 07 Nov 2026.

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