What is it about?
Agricultural practices affect the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil in agroecosystems. This study evaluated the impact of food production strategies on the rhizosphere microbial communities in the Yaqui Valley, Mexico, on key crops (Medicago sativa, Brassica oleracea, Asparagus officinalis, Phaseolus vulgaris, Citrus sinensis, Zea mays, Solanum tuberosum, Triticum durum, and an undisturbed native ecosystem). Soil samples were collected from 30 cm depths across onehectare fields and analyzed for bulk density, pH, organic matter content, and electrical conductivity. Standardized methods were used for these analyses, along with microbial isolation through culturing, PCR amplification, and DNA sequencing for microbial identification. The use of synthetic fertilizers in the region was linked to increased salinity and soil compaction. Organic matter content was notably low at ≤1.4%, which negatively impacted microbial diversity. A total of 317 microbial strains were isolated, with bacteria comprising 73% and fungi 27%. Bacillus was the most dominant bacterial genus (41% of isolates), while Aspergillus was the most abundant fungal genus (31% of isolates). Crop-specific microbial strains were identified. This study provides the first detailed insight into how agricultural practices shape microbial communities in the Yaqui Valley’s major crops, highlighting the link between soil properties and microbial diversity.
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Why is it important?
is a work that reflects the impact of agriculture on the arable soil, as well as the impact of agricultural practices on the microbial rhizosphere.
Perspectives
The agricultural practices used for crop production in the Yaqui Valley, as well as soil physicochemical properties, modify the genetic diversity of soil microorganisms. A total of 108 bacterial and 57 fungal cultivable species were identified in the Yaqui Valley under the studied crop sites analyzed. Bacillus was the most predominant bacterial genus isolated from the study sites, representing 41% of the total isolated bacterial strains. Aspergillus was the most abundant fungal genus, representing 31% of all the isolated fungi. However, more research is required to understand the ecological role of cultivable rhizosphere microbial community structure in the agroecosystems in the Yaqui Valley. This information will allow the design of suitable agrobiotechnologies for sustainable food production, amplifying their effectivity regarding the edaphic, climatic, and microbial declaration from the Yaqui Valley, potentially reducing the economic and environmental cost of conventional agriculture in that region.
Ph.D. María Maldonado Vega
Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad del Bajío
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Cultivable Rhizosphere Microbial Community Structure in the Yaqui Valley’s Agroecosystems, Soil Systems, October 2024, MDPI AG,
DOI: 10.3390/soilsystems8040112.
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