Long-term agrichemical use leads to alterations in bacterial community diversity

Abstract

Bacterial communities are key drivers of soil fertility and agriculture productivity. Understanding how soil bacterial communities change in response to different conditions is an important aspect in the development of sustainable agriculture. There is a desire to reduce the current reliance on high inputs of chemicals and fertilisers in agriculture, but limited data are available on how this might impact soil bacterial communities. This study investigated the bacterial communities in a spring barley monoculture site subjected to two different input regimes for over 12 years: a conventional chemical/fertiliser regime, and a reduced input regime. A culture independent approach was performed to compare the bacterial communities through 16S rRNA gene PCR-DGGE. PCO analysis revealed that the rhizosphere has a strong structuring effect on the bacterial community. Moreover, high inputs of agrichemicals lead to an increase of phosphorus level in the soil and a concomitant reduction of the bacterial diversity. These results may help to evaluate the environmental risks associated with agrichemical usage.

Nitrogen cycle bacteria in soils of organically and conventionally managed crop rotations

“…Bacterial communities are key drivers of soil fertility and agriculture productivity (Tan et al, 2012). The determination of biomass of bacteria and fungi in different soil layers provides information on the soil fertility and soil health (Chhotaray, Achakzai, 2012).…”

The Abundance of N-Transforming Bacteria in Ungrazing and Grazing Area Under Oil Palm- Cattle Integration Management in South Kalimantan

“…We did not identify a major soil characteristic variable that driving the impacts of grazing on nitrifiers abundance. Szukics et.al [30] and Jarvan and Edesi [5] reported the changing environmental condition such as precipitation regime, soil temperature, soil treatment, year, season growth, and their interaction even in the short-term change altered activities and the abundance of soil nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria.…”

“…Microorganisms are important for soil fertility, stability, and plant productivity because they intercede many key processes in soils [4,5]. The cycling of nutrients by microbial activity influences many ecological processes of the soil ecosystem including plant growth, plant productivity, soil carbon (C) sequestration, soil microbial community function, rate of decomposition, N mineralization, the abundance and activity of various functional microbe i.e.…”