Seasonal and Interannual Fluctuation of the Microbial Soil Community in a Maize Field under Long-Term Conservation Agriculture Management

Manuel Ramírez, Antonio López-Piñeiro, David Peña, José Rato Nunes, Ángel Albarrán, Ana Muñoz, José Gama and Luis Loures
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Manuel Ramírez: Departmento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06071 Badajoz, Spain
Antonio López-Piñeiro: Área de Edafología y Química Agrícola (Facultad de Ciencias) and IACYS, Universidad de Extremadura, 06071 Badajoz, Spain
David Peña: Área de Edafología y Química Agrícola (Facultad de Ciencias) and IACYS, Universidad de Extremadura, 06071 Badajoz, Spain
José Rato Nunes: Instituto Politécnico de Portalegre, Escola Superior Agrária de Elvas, 7350 Elvas, Portugal
Ángel Albarrán: Área de Producción Vegetal (Escuela de Ingenierías Agrarias) and IACYS, Universidad de Extremadura, 06071 Badajoz, Spain
Ana Muñoz: Departmento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06071 Badajoz, Spain
José Gama: Área de Edafología y Química Agrícola (Facultad de Ciencias) and IACYS, Universidad de Extremadura, 06071 Badajoz, Spain
Luis Loures: Instituto Politécnico de Portalegre, Escola Superior Agrária de Elvas, 7350 Elvas, Portugal

Sustainability, 2017, vol. 9, issue 5, 1-18

Abstract: Soil’s microbiological settlement in a Zea mays parcel under long-term agricultural practices aiming to minimize the disruption of the soil’s structure, composition and natural biodiversity was analyzed by culture-dependent and culture-independent processes. Of the different processes, morphological-type differentiation of cultured microflora produced the best results and, while Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-agarose electrophoresis has also provided us with reliable ones, soil PCR-DGGE (Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis) did not, which may occur because of the dependence of the method on the practice. Over a three-year period, this soil seemed very stable as its C/N ratio remained roughly constant and available for microbial growth. Because no soil overturning occurred, we were able to maintain most of the cultured microbial population whose fluctuations depended only on edaphoclimatic conditions. The number of cultured bacteria, molds, total microorganisms, and the biodiversity indices were usually lower in the driest season (fall) than in the rest of the year, except for Acinetobacter and Stenotrophomonas , which showed the opposite behavior. Coincident with the rise in temperature during the summer, the relative abundance of Gram+ bacteria increased, mostly reflecting an increase in the spore-forming bacteria Streptomyces and Bacillus . Despite these variations, the evenness index and the quantity of distinct microbiological life remained practically unaltered, recovering their maximum levels when the proper edaphoclimatic conditions were present, which indicates the long-term stability of the microbial community in this soil. The performed study put forward important insights for assessing the sustainability of maize production under long-term conservation agriculture management systems, highlighting that adequate management might prevent the degradation of soil quality, thus contributing to promote sustainable agriculture.

Keywords: soil microorganisms; maize field; conservation management; seasonal fluctuation; ecosystem sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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