An investigation of the population and genus composition of soil fungi in the rhizosphere of intensive 12-year-old apple orchards grown on the three distinct chernozem soil subtypes—podzolized, leached, and typical—inspired this study. Research transpired in the growing seasons of 2024–2025 across the Tambov and Lipetsk regions, Central Russia. Soil samples’ collection had three different depths (0–10, 10–30, and 30–60 cm). From 12 genera, fungi isolation primarily included Penicillium, Mucor, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Botrytis, Trichoderma, Rhizopus, and Verticillium, with data on Penicillium, Mucor, Aspergillus, Verticillium, and Pythium presented graphically. Meanwhile, the remaining genera presentations were in the narrative form. The podzolized chernozem soil subtype, characterized by the highest acidity and humus content, yielded a higher number and diversity of fungal genera, in which the Botrytis and Verticillium were predominant. Conversely, Aspergillus was the characteristic of the leached chernozem, while Mucor and Rhizopus dominated the typical chernozem. A considerable positive correlation (r > 0.85) was evident between the soil’s humus content and acidity (low pH) and the total abundance of the investigated fungal genera. The results highlighted the crucial role of the chernozem soil subtype, governed by its specific chemical parameters, in structuring the fungal community in the apple tree rhizosphere.
Genera of soil fungi, chernozem soil subtype, apple tree, intensive orchards, apple tree rhizosphere, soil microbiology, Czapek’s medium
The results showed the diversity and abundance of fungal genera in the apple tree rhizosphere largely depend on the soil pH and humus content, which generally materialize in differences in the subtypes of chernozem.