Impact of agricultural practices on the Zea mays L. endophytic community.

Agricultural practices are known to alter bulk soil microbial communities, but little is known about the effect of such practices on the plant endophytic community. We assessed the influence of long-term applications (20 years) of herbicides and different fertilizer types on the endophytic community of maize plants grown in different field experiments. Nested PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analyses targeting general bacteria, type I or II methanotrophs, actinomycetes, and general fungi were used to fingerprint the endophytic community in the roots of Zea mays L.

Effect of long-term herbicide applications on the bacterial community structure and function in an agricultural soil.

Little is known about the chronic effect of herbicides on the soil microbial community, with most studies focusing on acute impacts. In this study, we investigated the effect of 20 years of atrazine and metolachlor application on the community structure, abundance and function of bacterial groups in the bulk soil of a maize monoculture. Group-specific PCR-DGGE (polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) of 16S rRNA genes was used to characterize the composition of the microbial community.

Long-term effects of mineral versus organic fertilizers on activity and structure of the methanotrophic community in agricultural soils.

Agricultural practices, such as mineral nitrogen fertilization, have an impact on the soil's ability to oxidize methane, but little is known about the shifts in the methanotrophic community composition associated with these practices. Therefore, the long-term effect of both mineral (NH4NO3) and organic (manure and GFT-compost) fertilizer applications on the soil methanotrophic community activity and structure were investigated. Both high and low affinity methane oxidation rates were lower in the soil treated with mineral fertilizer compared to the other soils.