Bacterial and fungal diversity in rhizosphere and bulk soil under different long-term tillage and cereal/legume rotation

Abstract

Soil microbial diversity is important in maintaining soil quality, sustainable agriculture, and ecosystem function. Soil management practices can influence the diversity and activity of soil microbes in agricultural fields. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of tillage and stubble management on the diversity of bacteria and fungi, chemical property and total carbon emission in the rhizosphere and bulk soils in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) -pea (Pisum arvense L.) rotation at pre-harvest. Treatments included conventional tillage with stubble removed (T), no-tillage with stubble removed (NT), conventional tillage with stubble incorporated (TS), and no-tillage with stubble retained (NTS). Bacteria 16S rRNA (V3V4) and fungi ITS (ITS2) region genes were sequenced from bulk soil and rhizosphere soils. Abundance of the dominant bacterial (Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, and Planctomycetes) and fungal (Ascomycota and Basidiomycota) phyla identified did not differ significantly (P < 0.05) among treatments. Rhizobium and rare fungi Kurtzmanomyces occurred in the rhizosphere but were virtually absent in bulk soil. However, bacterial and fungal OTUs diversity indices were less in the rhizosphere compared to bulk soil. Soil from the NTS and NT had the greatest bacteria 16S rRNA and fungi ITS region number of OTUs; however, the microbial community did not differ among treatments. The abundance of class level bacteria and fungi were associated with soil pH, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, NH4+ -N, and NO3¯ -N contents. The results indicate that bulk soil had higher microbial library, which will be beneficial for establishment of the next season’s microbial community.