Scientists from Agricen and the University of North Texas researchers analyzed soil associated with corn roots collected from a field study of corn conducted at the University of Arkansas, where plots had received a range of fertilizer types and application rates.

They then compared bacterial biomass and diversity in the rhizosphere (e.g., in soil loosely associated with the root ball) and the rhizoplane (e.g., in soil washed from root surfaces) – areas where plants and soil microbes interact.

By applying next-generation sequencing to characterize the bacterial community, they found that bacterial biodiversity varied with the different fertility regimens and between the rhizosphere and rhizoplane.

This work provides one of the first comprehensive studies of the corn microbiome. The microbiome appears important in stimulating plant growth and protecting the crop from pathogens and environmental stressors. Understanding the controls of this important system could lead to new approaches to improve productivity and maintain soil health.

The work was presented as a poster at the ASA, CSSA and SSSA International Annual Meetings: Bacterial Diversity in Rhizosphere and Rhizoplane of Field Corn Grown with Different Fertilization Regimes (Poster presentation; Abstract #128-5).