Abstract: In order to investigate the effect of shading on the yield and inter-root soil microhabitat ofPseudostellaria heterophylla, this experiment was set up in a completely randomized design with five treatment gradient experiments of 100%, 75%, 65%, 51%, and 44% of light transmittance, with three replicated plots for each treatment, and the intensity of light was the only treatment variable in the experiment. Inter-root soil samples were collected from each plot before planting and at maturity to determine soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activity and microbial community structure, as well as to determine the yield ofP. heterophyllaand the incidence of leaf spot disease. The results showed that shading could increase the yield and reduce the incidence of leaf spot disease inP. heterophylla; the dominant groups of bacteria after shading treatment were Chloroflexi, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteriota, Actinobacteriota, Firmicutes. The dominant groups of fungi were Ascomycota, Mortierellomycota, Basidiomycota. Shading increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Basidiomycota, and decreased the relative abundance of pathogenic bacteria such asFusariumandPhomasp. Therefore, in the process of cultivatingP. heterophylla, its yield and quality could be improved by appropriate shading. This study provided a certain theoretical basis for the ecological green cultivation ofP. heterophylla.

Key words: Pseudostellaria heterophylla, shading, soil physicochemical properties, soil enzyme activity, rhizosphere microorganisms