Microbial dynamics in rhizosphere of fruit plants during summer and monsoon in arid environment

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the comparative efficacy of summer and monsoon season on the rhizospheric microbial population (actinomycetes, bacteria, fungi) and various soil enzymatic activities (acid and alkaline phosphatases, dehydrogenase and phytase) in three horticultural plant species of arid region. In general, microbial population, enzymatic activities and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) were higher in rhizosphere as compared to non rhizosphere soil. Monsoon season represents optimum conditions for proliferation of microbial population and thereby, increase in various enzymatic activities, which in turn was responsible for mobilization of unavailable nutrients for plants. During monsoon season rhizosphere soil of Z. mauritiana maintain 7.3% more moisture followed by E. officinalis (7.1%) and P. dactylifera (4.8%) as compared to non-rhizosphere soil. In general, an overall increase in acid phosphatase (65%), alkaline phosphatase (25%), phytase (30%), dehydrogenase (24%) and MBC (21%) was reported in rhizosphere as compared to non-rhizosphere soil.