Specific Features of the Microbial Community Development in Soddy-Podzolic Soil in the Course of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Growing

Abstract

The development of microbial community in a soddy-podzolic soil (Albic Retisol) on the roots of common barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) was studied. Morphometric characteristics of plant roots (length and surface area) were obtained with the help of scanning technique, and characteristics of root hairs were obtained by microscopy. The number of bacteria in barley rhizosphere and rhizoplane was estimated using the method of cascade filtration. A significant contribution (about 30%) of root hairs to the total surface area of barley root system was demonstrated. The germination of barley seeds was accompanied by an increase in the population of bacteria in the rhizosphere and rhizoplane by almost an order of magnitude; during the stage of the development of lateral roots, the density of bacterial cells on the root surface decreased by almost three times in comparison with the initial stage of root development.