Study on microbial communities and soil organic matter in irrigated and non-irrigated vertisol from Boianu.

Abstract

Irrigation, when administered correctly, confers the producers the possibility to overcome drought effects and obtain higher yields, supplementing the quality of food for animals or human consumers. In the mean time, soil erosion, pathogens attack and nutrients or pesticides spreading can be prevented by an adequate management of irrigation water. As a consequence, soil microbial community structure, composition and activities, as well as the organic matter quality can be different from those in non-irrigated soil. Research have been carried out in order to assess changes in bacterial and fungal communities and activity in irrigated Vertisol from Boianu, as compared with non-irrigated. The paper presents the results concerning the taxonomical composition of bacterial and fungal microflora in the horizons of the two soil profiles, as well as the level of CO 2 released by microorganisms. Chromatographic aspects of humus fractions were used to characterize the organic matter in irrigated and non- irrigated soil. Increased moisture and lowered temperature in Ap horizon of irrigated soil increased bacterial counts (18 x106 viable cells x g -1 dry soil) and their metabolic activity expressed by carbon dioxide released (46.838mg CO 2 x g -1 dry soil) comparatively with non- irrigated soil. Fungal microflora was more abundant after 25-50 cm under irrigation. Species diversity slightly increased under irrigation in both upper and lower part of soil profile. In irrigated soil, associations of species belonging to bacterial genera Pseudomonas and Bacillus were dominant in surface and white actinomycetes in the depth. Fungal consortia of Penicillium, Aspergillus and Fusarium dominated in both soil profiles. Irrigation induced changes in the quantity and quality of soil organic matter, as well as in the aspect of their migration pattern, as revealed on circular chromatograms.