Abstract

HighlightsWhat are the main findings?Soil nutrients and microbial structures shift dynamically acrossPhallus indusiatusgrowth stages.Key taxa (Phallus,Massilia,Bryobacter) correlate significantly with stage-specific nutrient fluctuations.What are the implications of the main findings?Phased nutrient and pH management prevents late-stage depletion and soil acidification.Targeted microbial inoculation and pathogen inhibition optimize soil health for high yields.Phallus indusiatusis a prestigious macro-fungus with both nutritional and medicinal significance. However, its industrial development is limited by low yields and inconsistent quality, largely due to an incomplete understanding of the underlying soil microecological mechanisms. In this study, field experiments were conducted to measure soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK), and pH across different growth stages. High-throughput sequencing was further employed to characterize the dynamic successions of bacterial and fungal communities. The results revealed a continuous depletion of SOC throughout the growth cycle, with a marked decrease in TN during the ovoid stage, whereas TP, TK, and pH showed increasing trends. Bacterial abundance followed a fluctuating “increase–decrease–increase” pattern, reaching its lowest level during the ovoid stage; similarly, fungal abundance initially decreased and subsequently increased, also attaining its minimum at the ovoid stage. Based on these stage-specific soil dynamics, targeted management strategies are proposed, including the application of basal carbon fertilizers supplemented with low-concentration phosphorus and potassium, the integration of slow-release nitrogen fertilizers, and the inoculation of functional microbes such asMassilia,Acidobacteriaceae, andTerriglobales. Dynamic regulation of soil pH is also recommended. This study provides a theoretical framework and technical guidance for the sustainable and high-e