Objective The aim of this paper was to investigate the effects of in situ mediation by the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on the structure and function of soil fungal communities in the root zone of perennial peach trees.

Methods Peach trees in-situ mediated by 2 different AMFs were utilized to study the abundance and composition of fungal communities in the root zone soil by using fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR) and high-throughput amplicon sequencing technology combined with Funguild function prediction.

Results The results showed that there were significant differences in the in-situ mediated effects of different AMFs on peach trees. Rhizophagus irregularis (Ri) was more effective than Glomus mosseae (Gm), and had a greater effect on the soil fungal community in the subsurface layer (20 - 40 cm) than that in surface layer (0 - 20cm). The effect of Ri on the soil fungal community in the subsurface layer was greater than surface layer. Gm significantly increased the Sobs and Shannon indices of soil fungi in the subsurface layer, and increased the abundance of the genera Mortierella and Pseudombrophila. All of them in-situ mediated by AMF decreased the percentage of surface pathotrophic fungi number, decreased the percentage of saprotrophic fungi number within the subsurface soil community, but increased the percentage of pathotrophic fungi number.

Conclusion There are significant differences in the in-situ mediation effects of different AMFs on peach trees, and AMFs significantly affect the physicochemical properties of the soil as well as the soil enzyme activities, which in turn affect the diversity, composition and function of the fungal community in the root zone soil, and provide reference for the future use of AMFs for the in-situ mediation of peach trees for the healthy development of the peach industry.