Interval aeration improves degradation and humification by enhancing microbial interactions in the composting process

[Display omitted] •20 min of aeration and 10 min of pause is the optimal interval aeration strategy.•Using the optimal strategy, OM degradation and humus content increased by 1.3 times.•Interval aeration improved composting quality by enhancing microbial interaction.•Thermobifida was an indicator genus responding to different aeration strategies. Five full-scale food waste composts were conducted under different aeration frequencies (no aeration, aeration at different intervals, and continuous aeration) to reveal the optimal strategy and its microbial mechanisms. The highest degradation rate (77.2%) and humus content (29.3%) were observed in Treatment D with interval aeration (aeration 20 min, pause 10 min). Aeration influenced the degradation and humification rate by regulating microbial interactions. The microbial interactions peaked in Treatment D, with a 1.30-fold increase. In terms of the microbial community, Thermobifida was a key genus for improving positive cohesion, fulfilling three criteria (high abundance, high occurrence frequency, and significant differences between treatments). The aeration strategy employed in Treatment D not only increased relative abundance of Thermobifida (1.2 times higher) but also strengthened interaction between it and functional genera (34 nodes). Overall, interval aeration, featured by 20 min aeration and 10 min pause, could increase microbial interactions and improve composting efficiency.