Mycorrhizas Mitigate Soil Replant Disease of Peach Through Regulating Root Exudates,Soil Microbial Population,and Soil Aggregate Stability

Soil replant disease is the main bottleneck interfering with tree growth of peach in soils with poor traits. A potted study was conducted to evaluate the effects of inoculation with an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF), Acauloapora scrobiculata, on plant growth, mineral nutrients, soil enzyme activities, soil microbial populations, and root exudate compositions of peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) seedlings grown in replant soil and non-replant soil. After 15 weeks in AMF inoculation, replant soil heavily inhibited root mycorrhizal colonization. In replant soil, AMF inoculation significantly increased shoot biomass and root phosphorus, potassium, calcium, copper, zinc, iron, and boron concentrations. Mycorrhizal peach seedlings showed a higher number of soil bacteria and total microbes but a lower number of soil fungi under replant conditions, as well higher soil urease and acid phosphatase activity and lower soil sucrase and catalase activity. Greater soil aggregate stability was observed in mycorrhiza-inoculated replant soil than in non-mycorrhizal soil due to the increase of water-stable aggregates in 2–4 mm and 1–2 mm size. In addition, a total of 92 substances were identified in root exudates, and the mycorrhizosphere had considerably more root exudate compositions. AMF inoculation had a significantly inhibitive effect on the relative abundance of allelochemical substances, including benzoic acid, benzaldehyde, diisooctyl phthalate, phenols, and sterols, while there was an increase in diphenyl-ethanedione and à-(benzoyloxy)-benzeneacetonitrile in replanted peach. It was concluded that AMF inoculation could partly mitigate soil replant disease of peach through modulating soil microbe balance, improving soil aggregate stability, and changing root exudate compositions.     

Peach seedling growth in replant and non-replant soils after inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

The effect of pre-inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on post-transplant growth of peach seedlings in replant and non-replant soils was studied for two successive seasons. Seedlings raised in sterile media and pre-inoculated with soil-based Gigaspora margarita inoculum were transplanted in replant and non-replant field soils alongside non-inoculated controls. Pre-inoculated seedlings transplanted in non-replant soils showed greater initial growth in the first year. Plant height, and lateral shoot length and number was highest in non-replant soils irrespective of mycorrhizal pre-inoculation. Similarly, biomass yield was significantly higher in seedlings in non-replant soils, though there were no significant differences in shoot/root ratios, and in tissue mineral content between and within treatments. Seedling infection by indigenous AMF was high in both replant and non-replant soils, and even non-inoculated seedlings recorded high infection levels after the first season. Generally, mycorrhizal activity was lower, and spore populations higher in replant soils, while the opposite was true in non-replant soils. It seems that soil sickness has a negative impact on plant metabolism and limits the capacity of the plant host to support the mycorrhizal symbiosis.     

Cyanide production by rhizobacteria as a possible mechanism of plant growth inhibition

Summary Volatile metabolites from a number of rhizosphere pseudomonads prevented lettuce root growth in a seedling bioassay. One of these metabolites was identified as cyanide. Direct contact between rhizobacteria and plant roots produced, with one exception, similar responses. However, not all cyanogenic isolates were plant-growth-inhibitory rhizobacteria. When grown in liquid culture, cyanogenic strains produced an average of 37 nmol HCN ml^–1 over a 36-h period and inhibition of root growth occurred at concentrations as low as 20 nmol ml^–1. Cyanogenic strains introduced into sand or soil also produced HCN. Two cyanogenic strains ofPseudomonas fluorescens, one (5241) a plant-growth inhibitory rhizobacterium and the other (S97) a plant-growth-promotory rhizobacterium, were used to treat bean and lettuce seedlings prior to planting in soil. Lettuce dry weight was reduced by 49.2% (day 28) and 37.4% (day 49) when inoculated with S241 whereas S97 increased growth initially (+64.5% at day 28, no difference from control at day 49). Equivalent figures for inoculated bean plants were: –52.9% and –65.1% (5241); +40.7% and +23.3% (S97). A more detailed experiment using only bean plants confirmed these contrasting affects. Inhibition by S241 was related to consistently higher levels of rhizosphere cyanide in comparison with S97-treated plants and control soils. S241 also survived in the rhizosphere at higher densities and for a longer period of time than S97. The possible contribution of rhizobacterial cyanogenesis to plant growth inhibition is discussed.     

Cyanide in paper de‐inking sludge used as a soil amendment

Paper de‐inking sludge is processed during the recycling of paper, and is sometimes used as a soil amendment. In this study the effect of a compost application on the cyanide (CN) status in soils of a public park was investigated. The compost was a mixture of chipped limbs and paper de‐inking sludge. Furthermore, the cyanide solubility was studied by conducting batch experiments with different pH levels. Total cyanide in the amended soils ranged from 540 to 740 mg CN kg^—1, and water soluble cyanide from 170 to 370 μg CN l^—1 as determined by means of an aqueous extract. Easily‐liberatable cyanides, which include the toxic free cyanide (HCN and CN^—) and weak metal‐cyanide complexes, were not present in the soil. From this result and the fact that iron blue pigments are used during paper printing, it can be inferred that cyanides occurring here were exclusively stable iron‐cyanide complexes [Fe(CN)₆]. With increasing pH the solubility of cyanide increased. In contrast to soils of coking plants, in which cyanide occur as Berlin blue, Fe₄[Fe(CN)₆]₃, the cyanide solubility in the paper de‐inking sludge amended soils was substantially lower, especially in the neutral and alkaline range. Thus, cyanides in paper de‐inking sludge could be present as sparingly soluble metal‐cyanide compounds with the general formula A₂B[Fe^II(CN)₆] with A = K⁺, Na⁺ and B = Ca²⁺ or divalent transition metals and B₂[Fe^II(CN)₆] with B = divalent transition metals. Pollution exposure by the pathways soil → human, and soil → air → human can be neglected. However, since leaching of iron‐cyanide complexes into the ground water cannot be excluded, and since they are decomposed to HCN when exposed to day light, environmental hazards by the pathway soil → ground water → surface water are possible. This is the risk arising from paper de‐inking sludge applications to soils.     

Relationship between plants and soil microbial communities in fertilized grasslands

The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning is of major scientific concern today. Few studies though have measured the interactions between soil microorganisms and plant diversity, the purpose of this study was to examine the link between plant diversity and microbial communities in fertilized versus unfertilized grasslands. Experiments were carried out on a permanent grassland in north-eastern France where agricultural practices had remained unchanged for the last 13 years. The experimental design included two plots of 300 m² (fertilized at 120 kg N ha⁻¹ or non-fertilized). Plots were replicated into three equal sub-plots (100 m²). From each sub-plot, six samples of soil and vegetation were taken at three dates during floristic development. At sampling, ground cover of each species was estimated, and total amount of C and N was determined in aboveground and root biomass. Soil samples were analyzed in order to measure the metabolic fingerprints of microorganisms using Biolog^® GN2 microplates. Floristic composition and carbon substrate utilization patterns of rhizobacterial communities were more diversified in unfertilized than fertilized plots. In unfertilized plots, the development of Convolvulus arvensis and two legumes (Trifolium pratense and Trifolium repens) may help maintain observed floristic diversity. Moreover, an inversion of C and N distribution between aboveground and root biomass during the vegetation cycle probably induced a variation of rhizodeposition. This phenomenon could explain the differences of rhizobacterial metabolic fingerprints observed between experimental plots.     

Dissipation of cyanogenic glucosides and cyanide in soil amended with white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

The use of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) as green manure is common practice due to its high nitrogen content. White clover produces the two cyanogenic glucosides linamarin and lotaustralin, which release toxic hydrogen cyanide upon hydrolysis. The hydrolysis of cyanogenic glucosides and release of cyanide were studied in batch experiments with ground white clover added to soil at loadings of 75 g leaves per kg soil. Linamarin and lotaustralin were quickly hydrolysed with first-order rate constants of 0.026-0.0062 h⁻¹ (corresponding to half lives of 11-27 h) in sandy and loamy soils at natural moisture contents and 11 °C. Experiments with addition of pure cyanogenic glucosides and with sterilized soil material as well as addition of white clover to inert quartz showed that hydrolysis by plant glucosidases is partly inhibited in the soil matrix, but also that soil glucosidases present in soil contribute to degradation of the cyanogenic glucosides, and more so for linamarin than for lotaustralin. Cyanide was produced during the hydrolysis of the cyanogenic glucosides as seen by formation of HCN(g) and WAD-CN (Weak Acid Dissociable Cyanide) amounting to max. 5 and 50% of total-CN in the systems with white clover added to natural soils. However, the increase in WAD-CN was transient, due to subsequent dissipation of the compound caused by abiotic and microbial CN degradation. Due to WAD-CN dissipation in the top soils studied, long term effects of cyanide on sensitive microorganisms and plants are not expected. However, knowledge on the stability of WAD-CN in subsoil is lacking and warrants further investigations.     

Changes in chemical and biological soil properties as induced by anthropogenic disturbance: A case study of an agricultural soil under recurrent flooding by wastewaters

Monitoring the environmental impact of anthropogenic disturbance on soil ecosystem is of great importance for optimizing strategies for soil use, conservation and remediation. The aim of this study was to assess whether and to what extent a long-term, human-induced disturbance could have affected main chemical and biological properties in an agricultural soil. The study site was a hazel (Corylus avellana L.) orchard located in the area surrounding the volcanic apparatus of Somma-Vesuvius (Southern Italy). For the last two decades, the site has been repeatedly subjected to floodings by wastewaters containing not only alluvial sediments but also potentially hazardous compounds from illegally disposed wastes. Soil disturbance was assessed by a multitechnique approach, which combined chemical, biochemical and physiological (Biolog^®) methods together with community fingerprinting by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA). A hazel site never subjected to flooding provided the control soil. Soil sampling was repeated three times over a 1-year period. The effect of flooding by wastewaters, sampling time and their interaction were statistically evaluated. Under wastewater flooding, soil pH and most organic matter-related pools, i.e. total organic C, total N, and active soil C-resources such as basal (SBR) and substrate-induced respiration (SIR) and microbial biomass C (MBC) were all increased; whereas sampling time mostly affected two active-N pools, namely K₂SO₄-extractable N (Extr-N) and potentially mineralizable N that varied unconcurrently in tested soils. Also the electrical conductivity varied across samplings. Parameters related to microbial maintenance energy (ATP and qCO₂) were higher in the flooded soil, even though they were not statistically affected by wastewater flooding or by sampling time. The Biolog^® method evidenced that under recurrent flooding, soil microbial populations became functionally more uniform when compared to the control soil. Molecular fingerprinting of PCR-amplified 16S rDNA targets revealed that, along with seasonal shifts, a marked change in the genetic structure of total bacterial community occurred in the flooded soil. Furthermore, compositional shifts in the actinomycete community were less marked and mostly influenced by seasonal effects. Yet, a decreased genetic diversity in the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria community was evidenced in the flooded soil by ARDRA. Thus both the genetic and the functional structure of native soil bacterial populations were changed under repeated flooding by wastewaters. Repeated sampling over a 1-year period allowed us to reveal soil disturbance effects beyond seasonal variations.     

A sensitive method for measuring cyanide and cyanogenic glucosides in sand culture and soil

Summary Sensitive methods for measuring cyanide and cyanogenic glucosides in soil and sand culture have been developed. A microdiffusion technique is described which depends on the enzymic conversion of linamarin and lotaustralin to HCN, its release following acidification and incubation, and its detection in NaOH. Conditions for hydrolysis and HCN recovery have been optimised. The cyanide content of a silt loam soil (under non-cyanogenic wheat) was 5.47 nmol cyanide g^–1 air-dried soil whilst that in an organic soil under the cyanogenic bracken, Pteridium aqgilinum, was 12.2 nmol g^–1. Exudation of cyanogenic glucosides by linseed, Linum usitatissimum, was measured in plant growth tubes containing sand and a nutrient medium. Sterile plants exuded an average of 6.88 nmol glucosides plant^–1 week^–1 whilst, in contaminated tubes, the level fell to 4.72 nmol. Analysis of plant roots on each sampling occasion showed that 6.88 nmol was, on average, equivalent to 16.15% of the total root content of cyanogenic glucosides. There was a low but positive correlation between fresh weight of plant roots and the level of exuded glucosides. There was no evidence that plant roots produced free HCN.     

Additions of maize root mucilage to soil changed the structure of the bacterial community

The organic compounds released from roots (rhizodeposits) stimulate the growth of the rhizosphere microbial community. They may be responsible for the differences in the structure of the microbial communities commonly observed between the rhizosphere and the bulk soil. Rhizodeposits consists of a broad range of compounds including root mucilage. The aim of this study was to investigate if additions of maize root mucilage, at a rate of 70 μg C g⁻¹ day⁻¹ for 15 days, to an agricultural soil could affect the structure of the bacterial community. Mucilage additions moderately increased microbial C (+23% increase relative to control), which suggests that the turnover rate of microorganisms consuming this substrate was high. Consistent with this, the number of cultivable bacteria was enhanced by +450%. Catabolic (Biolog^® GN2) and 16S-23S intergenic spacer fingerprints exhibited significant differences between control and mucilage treatments. These data indicate that mucilage can affect both the metabolic and genetic structure of the bacterial community as shown by a greater catabolic potential for carbohydrates. We concluded that mucilage is likely to significantly contribute to differences in the structure of the bacterial communities present in the rhizosphere compared to the bulk soil.     

Influence of peach (Prunus persica Batsch) phenological stage on the short-term changes in oxidizable and labile pools of soil organic carbon and activities of carbon-cycle enzymes in the North-Western Himalayas

The labile organic carbon(C) and C-related enzymes are sensitive indicators capturing alterations of soil organic matter(SOM),even in a short-time scale.Although the effects of crop husbandry and land use change on these attributes have been well studied,there is no consensus about how plant phenology may impact them.This study aimed to determine the short-term effect of six distinct phenological stages(PS-1:full bloom;PS-2:fruit set;PS-3:pit hardening;PS-4:physiological maturity;PS-5:60 d after physiological maturity;and PS-6:fall) of peach on the changes in soil organic carbon(SOC) fractions of different oxidizability,labile C pools,and C-cycle enzyme activities in soils,for two consecutive years(2015 and 2016) in the North-Western Himalayas(NWH).Peach rhizosphere soils were sampled at the topsoil(0–15 cm) and subsoil(16–30 cm) layers,along with rhizosphere soils from adjacent perennial grasses,which served as a control.Values for most of the assessed parameters,including very labile C,labile C,microbial biomass C,permanganate oxidizable C,dissolved organic C,mineralizable C,amylase activity,and carboxymethyl-cellulase activity,were significantly(P ≤ 0.05) higher at PS-3 than at other phenological stages of peach.Conversely,a sudden decline in these soil variables was recorded at PS-5,followed by a slight buildup at PS-6,particularly in the topsoil of the peach orchard.Short-term changes in organic C fractions of different oxidizability,influenced by peach phenological stage,significantly(P ≤ 0.05) affected C management index,C pool index,and lability index.Both the C management index and lability index showed their highest values at PS-3 and their lowest values at PS-5,clearly indicating short-term accretion and depletion of SOC,in tandem with the peach phenological events.Principal component analysis suggested that a composite of soil indicators,including microbial biomass C,dissolved organic C,amylase,and invertase,could help detect short-term changes in SOC content.It is concluded that peach phenological events had a major impact on the short-term variations of the studied soil variables,which could be attributed to changes in the above-and belowground plant residues,as well as the extent of nutrients and water acquisition.     

Impact of artificial root exudates on the bacterial community structure in bulk soil and maize rhizosphere

Bacterial densities, metabolic signatures and genetic structures were evaluated to measure the impact of soil enrichment of soluble organic carbon on the bacterial community structures. The exudates chosen were detected in natural maize exudates (glucose, fructose, saccharose, citric acid, lactic acid, succinic acid, alanine, serine and glutamic acid) and were used at a rate of 100 μg C g⁻¹ day⁻¹ for 14 days. Moreover two synthetic solutions with distinct carbon/nitrogen ratios (20.5 and 40.1), obtained by varying carboxylic and amino acids concentrations, were compared in order to evaluate the potential role of organic N availability. The in vitro experiment consisted of applying exudate solutions to bulk soil. In the case of the control, only distilled water was added. Both solutions significantly increased bacterial densities and modified the oxidation pattern of Biolog® GN2 plates with no effect of the C/N ratio on these two parameters. Genetic structure, measured by means of ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (RISA), was also consistently modified by the organic amendments. N availability levels led to distinct genetic structures. In a second experiment, one of the previous exudate solutions (C/N 20.5) was applied to 15-day-old maize plants to determine the structural influence of exudates on the rhizosphere microbial community (in situ experiment). Bacterial densities were significantly increased, but to a lesser extent than had been found in the in vitro experiment. Metabolic potentials and RISA profiles were also significantly modified by the organic enrichment.     

Combined microbial community level and single species biosensor responses to monitor recovery of oil polluted soil

Understanding the effects of oil contamination on the composition and function of soil microbiota entails investigation of the effects of a mixture of hydrocarbons at the community level in a complex environmental matrix. One approach to this difficult problem is to ally a community-level fingerprinting approach with bioassays that have a physiological or functional implication. Two contrasting refined oils (paraffin and motor oil) were used to contaminate soil microcosms, and a simulated bioremediation treatment with nutrient-addition was applied. The indigenous microorganisms were monitored over 103 d using complementary community-level techniques (carbon source physiological profiling using Biolog^® microplates, and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiling). Changes in the toxicity of the applied oils were monitored using luminescent bacterial bioassays, including Vibrio fischeri and a hydrocarbon-degrading Pseudomonas putida strain. Distinct shifts in microbial community structure and C source utilization profiles were observed as a result of oil contamination. There was some evidence that bioremediated soils were returning to control values by the end of the experiment. This was supported by the bioassay results which showed an initial increase in toxicity as a result of the oil addition which had then decreased by the conclusion of the experiment. The two oils exhibited markedly different toxicity towards the bioassay organisms, with species-specific differences in response. This oil-specific difference was also found in the PLFA profiles which showed the two oil types selected different microbial communities.     

Fractionation and Speciation of Manganese in Rhizosphere Soils of Pseudomonas sp. Rhizobacteria Inoculated Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) Seedlings Under Salinity Stress

Enhancement of manganese (Mn) availability in saline and Mn-deficient soils is very important for plant growth. An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of Pseudomonas sp. rhizobacteria (P₀ (control), P₁, P₂ and P₃) and Mn (0 and 10 mg Mn kg^?1 soil) on the distribution of Mn in the rhizosphere of pistachio seedlings under salinity stress (0, 1000 and 2000 mg NaCl kg^?1 soil). The results showed that salinity decreased the dry weight, Mn uptake and chlorophyll content of the pistachio seedlings. However, inoculation with rhizobacteria increased these parameters in saline conditions. Application of rhizobacteria increased the availability of Mn in the rhizosphere soil. The use of rhizobacteria decreased the residual-Mn form in the rhizosphere. Inoculation with rhizobacteria increased the percent of Mn²⁺ and MnCl⁺ species in the soil solution. However, pistachio seedlings inoculation with rhizobacteria increased the contents of Mn available forms in the rhizosphere soil.     

Suppression of Meloidogyne javanica by Pseudomonas aeruginosa IE-6S in tomato: the influence of NaCl, oxygen and iron levels

Understanding the environmental factors that influence the suppression of disease-suppressive strains of Pseudomonas fluorescens is an essential step toward improving the level and reliability of their biocontrol activity. A 0.8 M NaCl concentration was optimal for in vitro survival and growth of IE-6S⁺ while, nematicidal activity by IE-6S⁺ was maximal when the bacterium was exposed to 0.4 M NaCl. The bacterium was highly sensitive to high (1.6 M) NaCl concentration. Culture filtrate of the bacterium resulting from the medium supplemented with 0.2 or 0.4 M NaCl showed the presence of secondary metabolite, hydrogen cyanide (HCN). Soil amendment with IE-6S⁺ alone or in conjunction with up to 0.8 M NaCl enhanced bacterial efficacy towards Meloidogyne javanica, the root-knot nematode. Soil amendment with NaCl up to 0.8 M also resulted in enhanced bacterial rhizosphere colonization and growth of tomato seedlings. Protein content of the shoot was reduced when soil was amended with 1.6 M NaCl. Inner root establishment of the bacterium was greatly affected in the soils treated with 1.6 M NaCl. Under in vitro conditions, IE-6S⁺ showed enhanced growth when kept at ambient oxygen conditions while the growth of bacterium affected when incubated at low oxygen conditions. Culture filtrate of the bacterium resulting from low oxygen level caused greater mortality of M. javanica juveniles in vitro compared with the filtrates obtained from ambient oxygen conditions. Culture filtrate from low oxygen conditions also showed the presence of hydrogen cyanide while those from ambient oxygen condition did not. Under glasshouse conditions, regardless of bacterial application, nematode penetration rate was greater when the pots were watered from the top; nematode penetration was lowered in bacterized pots compared with non-bacterized controls. IE-6S⁺ applied in the pots either watered from the top or bottom had no significant impact on growth of tomato but protein contents of the leaves increased after treatment with the bacterium. Rhizosphere and inner root colonization of the bacterium increased when the pots were watered from the top. Under in vitro conditions, with an increased iron concentration in the form of FeEDDHA, growth of IE-6S⁺ and its nematicidal activity increased. Culture filtrate of IE-6S⁺ obtained from liquid King's B medium supplemented with 0.5 or 1.0 mM FeEDDHA showed the presence of HCN. Under glasshouse conditions, soil treated with FeEDDHA alone did not reduce nematode penetration rates but did reduce greatly when applied in conjunction with IE-6S⁺. FeEDDHA applied at 0.5 mg/kg of soil in combination with IE-6S⁺ significantly enhanced plant growth and leaf protein contents. FeEDDHA at 1 mg/kg of soil increased bacterial populations both in the rhizosphere and inner root tissues of tomato.     

Colonization of wheat roots by Gaeumannomyces graminis inhibited by specific soils,microorganisms and ammonium-nitrogen

Lineal extension of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici hyphae along roots of intact wheat plants growing in soils was measured. Hyphal growth rates were lower in soils treated with NH₄⁺-N than with NO₃^?-N. In a soil that is suppressive to the take-all disease, the controlling influence of NH₄⁺-N was eliminated by soil fumigation (methyl bromide), and reintroduced to fumigated soil by additions of 1% nonsterile soil. Effects of fumigation on hyphal growth were absent in a nonsuppressive soil, and in NO₃^?-treatments of the suppressive soil. When inocula of selected groups of wheat rhizoplane microflora were reintroduced into a fumigated or a soil-reinoculated soil via a root-food base, the Pseudomonas spp. consistently appeared more suppressive in NH₄⁺-N treatments than the general bacterial flora, Bacillus spp. spores, streptomycetes, and fungi.     

Antifungal and Plant Growth Promoting Activities of Indigenous Rhizobacteria Isolated from Maize (Zea mays L.) Rhizosphere

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) enhance the plant growth directly by assisting in nutrient acquisition and modulating plant hormone levels, or indirectly by decreasing the inhibitory effects of various pathogens. The aim of this study was to select effective PGPR from a series of indigenous bacterial isolates by plant growth promotion and antifungal activity assays. This study confirmed that most of the isolates from maize rhizosphere were positive for PGPR properties by in vitro tests. Azotobacter and Bacillus isolates were better phosphate solubilizers and producers of lytic enzymes, hydrocyanic acid (HCN), and siderophores than Pseudomonas. Production of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and antifungal activity were the highest in Azotobacter, followed by Bacillus and Pseudomonas. The most effective Azotobacter isolates (Azt₃, Azt₆, Azt₁₂) and Bacillus isolates (Bac_10, Bac₁₆) could be used as PGPR agents for improving maize productivity. Further selection of isolates will be necessary to determine their efficiency in different soils.     

Soil microbial diversity and activity in a Mediterranean olive orchard using sustainable agricultural practices

Sustainable soil management of orchards can have positive effects on both soils and crop yields due to increases in microbial biomass, activity and complexity. The aim of this study was to investigate medium‐term effects (12 yr) of two different management practices termed ‘sustainable’ (ST) and ‘conventional’ (CT) on soil microbial composition and metabolic diversity of a rainfed mature olive orchard in Southern Italy. ST included no‐till, self‐seeding weeds (mainly graminaceous and leguminosae), and mulch derived from olive tree prunings, whilst CT was managed by frequent tillage and included severe pruning with residues removed from the orchard. Microbial analyses were carried out by culture‐dependent methods (microbial cultures and Biolog^®). Molecular methods were used to confirm the identification by light microscopy of the isolates of fungi and Streptomyces. Significantly more culturable fungi and bacteria were found in ST than in CT. The number of fungal groups in ST was also significantly greater than in CT. Overall and substrate‐specific Biolog^® metabolic diversity indices of microbial communities and soil enzyme activities were greater in ST. The results demonstrate that soil micro‐organisms respond positively to sustainable orchard management characterized by periodic applications of locally derived organic matter. This study confirms the need to encourage farmers with orchards in the Mediterranean basin to practise soil management based on organic matter inputs associated with zero tillage to improve soil functionality.     

Nitrogen transformation rates and N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O producing pathways in two pasture soils

Purpose

Better understanding of N transformations and the regulation of N₂O-related N transformation processes in pasture soil contributes significantly to N fertilizer management and development of targeted mitigation strategies.

Materials and methods

¹⁵N tracer technique combined with acetylene (C₂H₂) method was used to measure gross N transformation rates and to distinguish pathways of N₂O production in two Australian pasture soils. The soils were collected from Glenormiston (GN) and Terang (TR), Victoria, Australia, and incubated at a soil moisture content of 60% water-filled pore space (WFPS) and at temperature of 20 °C.

Results and discussion

Two tested pasture soils were characterized by high mineralization and immobilization turnover. The average gross N nitrification rate (n_tot) was 7.28 mg N kg^?1 day^?1 in TR soil () and 5.79 mg N kg^?1 day^?1 in GN soil. Heterotrophic nitrification rates (n_h), which accounting for 50.8 and 41.9% of n_tot, and 23.4 and 30.1% of N₂O emissions in GN and TR soils, respectively, played a role similar with autotrophic nitrification in total nitrification and N₂O emission. Denitrification rates in two pasture soils were as low as 0.003–0.004 mg N kg^?1 day^?1 under selected conditions but contributed more than 30% of N₂O emissions.

Conclusions

Results demonstrated that two tested pasture soils were characterized by fast N transformation rates of mineralization, immobilization, and nitrification. Heterotrophic nitrification could be an important NO₃^?–N production transformation process in studied pasture soils. Except for autotrophic nitrification, roles of heterotrophic nitrification and denitrification in N₂O emission in two pasture soils should be considered when developing mitigation strategies.

     

Plant removal disturbance and replant mitigation effects on the abundance and diversity of low-arctic soil biota

Due to the dependence of soil organisms on plant derived carbon, disturbances in plant cover are thought to be detrimental for the persistence of soil biota. In this work, we studied the disturbance effects of plant removal and soil mixing and the mitigation effects of replanting on soil biota in a low-arctic meadow ecosystem. We set up altogether six replicate blocks, each including three randomized treatment plots, at two distinct fells at Kilpisjärvi, northern Finland. Vegetation was removed in two thirds of the plots: one third was then kept barren (the plant-removal treatment), while the other third was replanted with a local herb Solidago virgaurea. The remaining plots of intact vegetation were used as treatment comparisons. The responses of soil microbes and fauna were examined six years later in the early and late growing season. The biomass of bacteria, non-mycorrhizal fungi and mycorrhizal fungi (estimated using PLFA markers) were on average 74%, 89% and 84% lower in the plant-removal and 64%, 74% and 71% lower in the Solidago replant plots than in the intact meadow. The positive effect of replanting was statistically significant for fungi, but not for bacteria. The PCA of relative PLFA concentrations further showed that the structure of the microbial community differed significantly among all three treatments. The abundance of nematodes and collembolans was on average 82 and 95% lower, but the total number of nematode genera and collembolan taxa only 27 and 7% lower in the plant-removal plots than in the intact meadow soil. Few disturbance effects on soil fauna were significantly mitigated by the Solidago replant (the plant parasitic nematodes being a notable exception) and in the case of the collembolans, the Solidago replant plots had even fewer animals than the plant-removal plots. The response of soil biota also varied with locality: the effects on fungivorous nematodes were found at one site only and the replant effects on the number and diversity of collembolan taxa varied with site. Our results suggest that despite drastic reductions in the abundance of soil biota, the majority of animal taxa can persist for years in disturbed arctic soils in the absence of vegetation. In contrast, the alleviating replant effects on the abundance of soil biota appear weak and may only partially reverse the negative effects of vegetation removal and soil disturbance.     

Manganese availability and microbial populations in the rhizosphere of wheat genotypes differing in tolerance to Mn deficiency

Plant genotypes differ in their capacity to grow in soils with low manganese (Mn) availability. The physiological mechanisms underlying differential tolerance to Mn deficiency are poorly understood. To study the relationship between Mn content in soil, plant genotypes, and rhizosphere microorganisms in differential Mn efficiency, two wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars, RAC891 (tolerant to Mn deficiency) and Yanac (sensitive), were grown in a Mn‐deficient soil to which 5, 10, 20 or 40 mg Mn kg^–1 were added. The shoot dry matter of both cultivars increased with increasing Mn addition to the soil. At all soil Mn fertilizer levels, the tolerant RAC891 had a greater shoot dry matter and a higher total shoot Mn uptake than the sensitive Yanac. The concentration of DTPA‐extractable Mn in the rhizosphere soil of RAC891 at Mn20 and Mn40 was slightly lower than in the rhizosphere of Yanac. The population density of culturable microorganisms in the rhizosphere soil was low (log 6.8–6.9 cfu (g soil)^–1) in both cultivars and neither Mn oxidation nor reduction were observed in vitro. To assess the non‐culturable fraction of the soil microbial community, the ribosomal intergenetic spacer region of the bacterial DNA in the rhizosphere soil was amplified (RISA) and separated in agarose gels. The RISA banding patterns of the bacterial rhizosphere communities changed markedly with increasing soil Mn level, but there were no differences between the wheat cultivars. The bacterial community structure in the rhizosphere was significantly correlated with the concentration of DPTA‐extractable Mn in the rhizosphere, fertilizer Mn level, shoot dry matter, and total shoot Mn uptake. The results obtained by RISA indicate that differential tolerance to Mn deficiency in wheat may not be related to changes in the composition of the bacterial community in the rhizosphere.