Abstract

 
 
 The comparative study of soil bacteria from the rhizosphere was carried out using samples obtained from the soil (rhizospheres) of Anogeissus leiocarpa and Pterocarpus erinaceus using purposive sampling method. The soil samples were collected at a depth of 0-30cm and 30-60cm around the rhizosphere of the studied tree species and away from the rhizosphere used as a control. The method by Ibitoye (2008) was used to test for physico-chemical properties and method by Cheesborough (2006) was used for stocking, culturing, incubating and gram staining. Result for the mean physical properties shows, P. erinaceus had highest mean values for clay and silt which wasn’t significant (p= 0.067 and 0.381 respectively). A. leiocarpus had the second highest clay and silt. Sand and bulk density was highest for the control which was highly significant (p = 0.000 and p=0.044 respectively). For mean chemical properties among plant species, pH, EC, OC, OM, N, Na, Ca and CEC were highly significant (p<0.05), while p, K, Mg and EA were not significant. Pterocarpus erinaceus had the highest mean for all the chemical elements assessed with ten (10) bacteria species identified. Anoigessus leiocarpa had the second highest biochemical elements present with six (6) species of bacteria identified, Bascillus subtilis was most common. It is therefore necessary that these tree species are allowed in their natural habitat to preserve and conserve these microbes in the ecosystem.
 
 
Highlights
According to a general view, the rhizosphere includes plant roots and the surrounding soil
Anogeissus leiocarpa and Pterocarpus erinaceus have low germination potential andare highly disturbed in the study site, the need to understand the organisms found within the rhizosphere that could play a great role in the growth and ecological health of the threatened study plant species
The soil samples were collected around the rhizosphere of the two studied plant species at 0-30 cm and 0-60cm depth, soil samples were collected from adjacent points away from any plant species at each point making a total of twenty four samples.The distance from the tree to 50cm falls within the rhizosphere, while soil collected at distance >50cm is a control
Summary
According to a general view, the rhizosphere includes plant roots and the surrounding soil. The rhizosphere inhabiting microorganisms compete for water, nutrients and space and sometimes improve their competitiveness by developing an intimate association with plant (Hartmann et al, 2009) These microorganisms play important roles in the growth and ecological fitness of their host. Phytopathogenic organisms, bacteria as well as fungi, have coevolved with plants and show a high degree of host specificity (Raaijmakers et al, 2009).Forest microorganisms contribute greatly to the carbon balance in their ecosystems. They play an important role as decomposers, symbiots, or pathogens influencing the carbon turn over and retention and the availability of other nutrients (Baldrian, 2017). The study is aimed at determining the soil bacteria from the rhizosphere of Anogeissus leiocarpa and Pterocarpus erinaceus
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