RHIZOSPHERE MICROBIOTA FROM A MIXED MAIZE (Zea mays L.) CROP IN THE JALISCO HIGHLANDS: A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY

Abstract

Maize cultivation in the Jalisco Highlands, México, is primarily for production for fodder and auto-consumption, using hybrid cultivars or Zamorano Amarillo. Studies in this region have been focalized on the characteristics of the plants or the soil, and the composition of microorganisms in this environment is unknown. Because of this, the use of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) for the description of the microbiota from a mixed maize (Zea mays L.) crop for auto-consumption and fodder in the Jalisco Highlands allowed having an initial description of the microbial composition of the rhizosphere. The Phyla that predominated in two samples evaluated at different times showed, for the plot without crop, 24.1 % of Actinobacteria, 15.2% Proteobacteria, and 5.3% Firmicutes, while in the land cultivated, 24.6% of Proteobacteria, 8% Actinobacteria and 3.9% Bacteroidetes predominated. A greater diversity of OTUs was detected in the cultivation of three varieties of maize for auto-consumption and fodder, which is related to the type of agronomic management and the maize cultivars sown.