Dinakaran J., Chandra Abhishek, Vikram Krati, Chamoli Kamlapati, Tambat Subodh, Rao K. S.
Keywords:
Soil carbon, Soil microbial activity, High throughput sequencing, Copiotrophs and oligotrophs, Himalaya
The impact of farmyard manure (FYM) amendment (15, 30 and 60 Mg ha−1) on the changes of carbon content, nitrogen content, microbial activity, bacterial community composition and grain yield were investigated in a traditional rainfed agriculture (Oryza sativa L.) system of the Himalaya. Our results showed that carbon (5 to 16%) and nitrogen (37 to 55%) contents were reduced significantly at the end of the paddy cropping season; while the C:N values (46 to 90%) and microbial activity (66 to 122%) were increased significantly at the end of the paddy cropping season as compared to sowing season in the soil amended with FYM. The grain yield of paddy increases significantly with increasing rates of FYM. We found the highest abundance of copiotrophs (Proteobacteria and Firmicutes) in the soil amended with different rates FYM at the end of the paddy cropping season. Differences in soil bacterial communities are associated with different amendment rates of FYM, suggesting that higher FYM amendment rates could change the bacterial community compositions which have an adverse impact on soil carbon and nitrogen contents at the end of the paddy cropping season in the rainfed agriculture system of the Himalaya.
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This work was financially supported by DST (DST-IS-STAC/CO2-SR-148/12(G), SERB (SR/FT/LS-59/2012), UGC-DSK-PDF (BSR/BL/16-17/0146) New Delhi and University of Delhi under strengthened R&D program of Faculty at University of Delhi. Authors are thankful to Dr. R. K. Maikhuri, for his support during the selection of the study site in central Himalaya. Also thankful to Prof. Manu Agarwal, Department of Botany, University of Delhi for his help in Metagenomics studies. Authors are thankful to Dr. Jyotishman Deka for his help in preparing the map of our study area.