Authors:
MI Ferreira
, CM Reinhardt
, M Van Der Rijst3
, A Marais & A Botha ,South Africa
|
Abstract:
There is growing interest in understanding microbial communities to promote sustainable
agricultural production systems. Plant roots produce exudates which serve as important carbon
and energy sources for micro-organisms contained in the rhizosphere. The objectives of this
study were to compare the effects of leachates from wheat and ryegrass hybrid type (Lolium
multiflorum x L. perenne) on the plant growth rate and simultaneously study the physiological
profile of the soil microbial community, determined by using the Biolog EcoPlateTM system.
Higher protozoan numbers were observed in the rhizosphere of L. multiflorum x L. perenne
which received leachates from both test species. A microbial community able to readily utilise ?
ketobutyric acid was observed when L. multiflorum x L. perenne leachate was added to control
pots. Therefore, leachate from donor plants had a definite influence on the functional soil
microbial community of acceptor plants. Furthermore, the close correlation of protozoan
numbers with the utilisation of ? keto- butyric acid, suggest that the protozoa actively grazed on
this altered microbial community |
