Influence of climate change, rhizosphere, and cultivation on soil fertility determinants

Abstract

Agriculture is the largest food-producing sector. The productivity of agriculture depends on climate change, nature of soil, and cultivation type. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are agriculturally important fungi that produce glomalin protein. The hyphae of AMF release glomalin in soil and mycorrhizal roots. The two fractions are easily extractable glomalin (EEG) and total glomalin (TG). The glomalin fractions sequester soil organic carbon and help to maintain the soil fertility. The present study analyzes the variations of soil fertility determinants according to the variations of climatic change, soil nature, and cultivation. Athani (11°31'18" N, 77°34'49" E), Erode district, Tamil Nadu, India, is prevalent for turmeric cultivation. Periodically every month the samples were collected from August 2006 to March 2007. The samples used were rhizosphere, turmeric root, and rhizome. The extraction methods of glomalin proteins were followed as per the methodologies adopted by Wright and Upadhyaya (Soil Sci 161:575-586, 1996). The root easily extractable glomalin (EEG-R) and soil easily extractable glomalin (EEG-S) concentrations increased in the months of October 2006 and January 2007, respectively. On February 2007, soil and root total glomalin concentrations were increased. The present study represents climatic factors are playing a significant role on soil nutrients, microbial communities, plant growth, and mycorrhizal proteins.