Diversity and activity of free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria and total bacteria in organic and conventionally managed soils.

ABSTRACT: Agricultural soils are heterogeneous environments in which conditions affecting microbial growth and diversity fluctuate widely in space and time. In this study, the molecular ecology of the total bacterial and free-living nitrogen-fixing communities in soils from the Nafferton Factorial Systems Comparison (NFSC) study in northeast England were examined. The field experiment was factorial in design, with organic versus conventional crop rotation, crop protection, and fertility management factors. Soils were sampled on three dates (March, June, and September) in 2007. Total RNA was extracted from all soil samples and reverse transcribed. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and quantitative PCR (qPCR) were used to analyze nifH and 16S rRNA genes in order to study free-living diazo

SUBMITTER: Orr CH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3028727 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature