EXPLORING THE SOIL-ASSOCIATED BACTERIAL MICROBIOME OF COFFEE PLANTATIONS IN DIFFERENT REGIONS OF COLOMBIA: A METABARCODING APPROACH

Introduction: Coffee is one of the leading tropical crops produced worldwide. Colombia ranks third in coffee production in the world. Microorganisms associated with coffee plants can have many biotechnological applications, such as plant growth promotion and biological control. Objective: To describe the bacteria present in the soil associated with coffee cultivation. This was done using a bulk sequencing or 16S rRNA metabarcoding approach. Methodology: Soil samples were collected to analyze their microbiome from three different departments of Colombia (Cauca, Risaralda and Magdalena). The plants were of different ages, and the crop management was different (conventional and organic). Subsequently, an analysis was carried out using Qiime2 to describe the communities associated with coffee cultivation and soil chemical properties. Results: Some important genera were identified, such as Janthinobacterium, Bacillus, Actinomadura and Actinoallomurus. These genera can be used as plant growth promoters, organic matter transformers, producers of antibiotics and metabolites with potential biotechnological applications. Implications: The study presented in this manuscript describes the communities associated with the soil in coffee cultivation. However, a much more complex approach could be through metagenomics, where the bacterial communities and the functions of; however, this vision is up to ten times higher in cost. Conclusion: Through the results obtained, it is concluded that the studies carried out through metabarcoding help to understand the composition of the microorganisms associated with coffee and, with this, try to elucidate the functions of the associated microorganisms.