An international group of authors recently reported on a study to investigate the impact of organic farming on the soil microbiome in citrus orchards.
The authors are:
- Sebastiano Conti Taguali, Francesco Aloi and Federico La Spada, University of Catania in Italy
- Rhea Pöter, Ruhr University Bochum in Germany
- Clara Fernández-Trujillo and Alberto Acedo, Biome Makers Inc. in California
- Maria Giulia Li Destri Nicosia, Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria in Italy
- Antonella Pane and Santa Olga Cacciola, Università degli Studi di Catania in Italy
- Leonardo Schena with Università degli Studi di Reggio Calabria, Italy
The soil microbiota of eight conventionally and seven organically managed commercial citrus orchards across eastern Sicily were evaluated.
FINDINGS
The structure (diversity and relative abundance) and functionality of soil bacterial and fungal communities depended primarily on the sampling site. Other variables influencing the soil microbiome included soil total carbon content, seasonality, rootstock genotype, soil tillage and irrigation system. The latter three exerted differential effects on either bacterial or fungal communities.
Conversely, age and visible health status of the tree had negligible influence on both communities. The differences between organically and conventionally managed citrus orchards accounted for a significant proportion of the variability, indicating a relevant effect of the farming system on the soil microbiome.
Organically managed orchards compared to those managed conventionally exhibited higher microbial diversity and a unique composition of nutrient-cycling microbes. In particular, organic farming promoted beneficial microbial functions, such as nitrogen fixation and phosphorus solubilization.
Findings provide insights into the dynamic and complex interactions between environmental variables and soil microbial communities in citrus orchards, confirming the potential of microbial diversity as an indicator of sustainability in agricultural systems.
CONCLUSIONS
No great differences were observed between core microbiota of organically and conventionally managed citrus orchards, indicating a certain resilience of microbial soil communities associated to a permanent crop. However, the analysis of data revealed differences in seasonal patterns of microbial communities between conventionally and organically managed orchards.
Moreover, organic farming fostered richer and more diverse soil microbial communities and enhanced their functionality in terms of nutrient cycling. These finding add arguments in favor of organic agriculture and has relevance for fertilization of citrus orchards.
See the full article, “Influence of environmental and agronomic variables on soil microbiome in citrus orchards: A comparative analysis of organic and conventional farming system,” published in Microbial Research.
Source: ScienceDirect
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