Sk. Dubey et Js. Singh, Spatio-temporal variation and effect of urea fertilization on methanotrophs in a tropical dryland rice field, SOIL BIOL B, 32(4), 2000, pp. 521-526
Population size of methanotrophs in a dryland field planted to Oryza sativa
L. variety Narendra-118 was quantified over a period of 13 weeks. Methanot
roph numbers were higher in control plots (52.9-736.6 x 10(5) cells g(-1) d
ry soil) than in plots treated with urea (43.8-676.0 x 10(5) cells g(-1) dr
y soil), and were highest in the rhizosphere soil (499.8-736.6 x 10(5) cell
s g(-1) dry soil) followed by bulk (451.4-684.1 x 10(5) cells g(-1) dry soi
l) and bare (43.8-67.5 x 10(5) cells g(-1) dry soil) soil. The concentratio
ns of NH4+-N were significantly (P < 0.001) lower in the rhizosphere (3.1-6
.4 mu g g(-1) soil) than in bulk (4.1-8.3 mu g g(-1) soil) and bare soils (
5.1-10.7 mu g g(-1) soil). The study suggests that the development of the r
ice rhizosphere brings about a spatial pattern in the distribution of metha
notrophic bacteria which increases in size, over time, within the rhizosphe
re and adjoining bulk soil, and that the rhizosphere is a potential microsi
te of intense CH4 exidation activity. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All ri
ghts reserved.