• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.139-143
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• 2009

We examined the vertical distribution of specific microbial groups and the patterns of microbial community structure within the soil profile using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA). Samples were collected from the soil surface down to 15 cm in depth from paddy and upland fields located in Daegu, Korea. The two fields have been fertilized with only chemical fertilizers N, P, K for 33 years. Principal component analysis of the PLFA signatures indicated that the composition of the soil microbial communities changed significantly with the cultivation practices and soil depth, suggesting that cultivation practices of paddy and upland fields had more significant influence on soil microbial community than the soil depth did. The soil microbial communities changed more drastically with soil depth in upland field than in paddy field, with making thicker soil surface in paddy field in terms of soil microbial community. The ratios of cyclopropyl/monoenoic precursors and total saturated/total monounsaturated fatty acids increased with soil depth, suggesting that the deeper soil horizons are more carbon-limited and anaerobic than surface soil. The community analysis using PLFAs as biomarkers revealed that Gram-positive bacteria and actinomycetes tended to increase in proportional abundance with increasing soil depth, while the abundance of Gram-negative bacteria and fungi were highest at the soil surface and substantially lower in the subsurface.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.783-788
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• 2016

Agricultural management of paddy soil depends on the effects of soil microbial activities. The present study evaluated the soil microbial community of 25 paddy soils in Gyeongnam Province by fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). The average of microbial communities in paddy soils were 32.2% of total bacteria, 16.7% of Gram-negative bacteria, 12.9% of Gram-positive bacteria, 2.0% of actinomycetes, 14.9% of fungi, and 1.3% of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The communities of total bacteria (34.9%) and Gram-negative bacteria (19.4%) in soils with $30{\sim}35g\;kg^{-1}$ of organic matter were significantly larger than those in soils with other organic matter levels. However, soils with $20{\sim}30g\;kg^{-1}$ of organic matter had significantly low ratio of cy17:0 to $16:1{\omega}7c$ and cy19:0 to $18:1{\omega}7c$ as compared with soils with $30{\sim}35g\;kg^{-1}$ of organic matter, indicating microbial stress decreased (p < 0.05). In principal component analyses of soil microbial communities, Gram-negative bacteria should be considered as a potential responsible factor for the obvious microbial community differentiation that was observed between the two different organic matter levels in paddy fields. Thus, soils containing $20{\sim}30g\;kg^{-1}$ of organic matter were responsible for strong effect on microbial biomass and stress in paddy fields.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.487-493
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• 2013

The effects of long-term fertilization on soil biological properties and microbial community structure in the plough layer in a rice paddy soil in southern Korea were investigated in relation to the continuous application of chemical fertilizers (NPK), straw based compost (Compost), combination these two (NPK + Compost) for last 40 years. No fertilization plot (Control) was installed for comparison. Though fertilization significantly improved rice productivity over control, the long-term fertilization of NPK and compost combination was more effective on increasing rice productivity and soil nutrient status than single application of compost or chemical fertilizer. All fertilization treatments had shown significant improvement in soil microbial properties, however, continuous compost fertilization markedly increased soil enzyme and microbial activities as compared to sole chemical fertilization. Results of microbial community structure, evaluated by EL-FAME (ester-linked fatty acid methyl esters) method, revealed big difference among Control, NPK, and Compost. However, both Compost and Compost+NPK treatments belonged to the same cluster after statistical analysis. The combined application of chemical fertilizer and organic amendments could be more rational strategy to improve soil nutrient status and promote soil microbial communities than the single chemical fertilizer or compost application.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.474-481
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• 2013

Understanding the microbial community structure of agricultural soils is important for better soil management in order to improve soil quality. Phospholipid fatty acid analysis has been popularly used in determining the microbial community structure in different ecosystems. The microbial community structure of paddy soil under long-term fertilizer treatments was investigated after 45 years using PLFA analysis. Treatments were control (no fertilization, Con), compost (COM), NPK, NPK+compost (NPKC), PK, NK, and NP. Soil chemical properties were mainly affected by the addition of compost and inorganic P fertilizer. Total nitrogen and organic matter contents were significantly higher in treatments with compost while available $P_2O_5$ and exchangeable calcium were significantly higher in treatments with added inorganic P fertilizer. It was found that microbial communities were responsive to the different fertilizer treatments. PLFA results showed that the soils were dominated by gram-negative bacteria, followed by the actinomycetes, then gram-positive bacteria, and fungi. Principal component analysis of the soil chemical properties and PLFA composition proved to be a more reliable tool because it was more responsive to the changes in soil chemical properties.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.528-534
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• 2015

Green manure crops have been well recognized as the alternative for chemical fertilizer, especially N fertilizer, because of its positive effect on soil and the environment. Hairy vetch and green barley are the most popular crops for cultivation of rice in paddy field. This study was conducted to evaluate effects of hairy vetch and green barley on soil microbial community and chemical properties during short-term application (three years). For this study, treatments were composed of hairy vetch (Hv), green barley (Gb), hairy vetch + green barley (Hv+Gb), and chemical fertilizer without green manure crops (Con.). Hv+Gb treatment showed the highest microbial biomass among treatments. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that PC1 (73.0 %) was affected by microbial biomass and PC2 (21.5 %) was affected by fungi, cy19:0/18:$1{\omega}7c$ (stress indicator). Combined treatment with hairy vetch and green barley could be more efficient than green manure crop treatment as well as chemical fertilizer treatment for improvement of soil microorganisms.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.792-797
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• 2012

Glomalin-related soil protein has been suggested as an enhancer for soil stability by promoting the aggregation. In this study, we examined the concentrations of glomalin and characteristics of microbial community in 20 paddy soils sampled from Gyeongnam Province. Total soil glomalin as glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) had a significant positive correlation with soil organic matter (p<0.01) and soil dehydrogenase activity (p<0.01). The concentration of GRSP significantly correlated to soil microbial biomass carbon (p<0.001) and the total bacterial community (p<0.01) in paddy soils. In addition, the GRSP had a significant positive correlation with gram-negative bacteria community (p<0.05) and ratio of cy19:0 to 18:$1{\omega}7c$ (p<0.05) in paddy soils. In conclusion, the concentration of GRSP could be an indicator of soil health that simplify the inspection steps for sustainable agriculture in paddy soils.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.367-376
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• 2011

BACKGROUND: In order to develop effective assessment method for Korean paddy soil microbial community structure, reliable genomic DNA extraction method from paddy soil and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) method are needed to establish METHODS AND RESULTS: Out of six conventional soil genomic DNA extraction methods, anion exchange resin purification method was turn to be the most reliable. Various PCR primers for distinguishing five bacterial phylum (${\alpha}$-Proteobacteria, ${\beta}$-Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes), all bacteria, and all fungi were tested. Various qRT-PCR temperature conditions were also tested by repeating experiment. Finally, both genomic DNA extraction and qRT-PCR methods for paddy soil were well established. CONCLUSION: Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) method to assess paddy soil microbial community was established.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.221-227
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• 2011

Applications of green manures generally improve the soil quality in rice paddy in part through restructuring of soil microbial communities. To determine how different green manures affect soil microbial communities during the early stages of rice growth, fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles were used to the effects of different management practices: 1) conventional farming (CF), 2) no-treatment (NT), 3) Chinese milk vetch (CMV), 4) green barley (GB), and 5) triticale in paddy field. With applications of green manures, soil organic matter was significantly higher than CF, while soil Na concentration was significantly lower compared with CF (p<0.05). Total soil microbial biomass of CMV was higher (p<0.05) than NF by approximately 31%. The highest ratio of monounsaturated fatty acid to saturated fatty acid was found in the GB plot, followed by CMV and triticale compared with CF (p<0.05), possibly indicating that microbial stress was less in GB and CMV plots. Populations of Gram-negative bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi also were significantly higher green manures than CF (p<0.05). Our findings suggest that GB should be considered as optimum green manure for enhancing soil microbial community at an early growing stage in paddy field.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.1158-1163
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• 2011

The present study was aimed to evaluate the soil microbial communities by fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) method in paddy soils at 20 sites in Gyeongnam Province. The soil microbial biomass carbon content of fan and valley $1,266mg\;kg^{-1}$ was higher than alluvial plain $578mg\;kg^{-1}$ (p<0.05). In addition, The dehydrogenase activity of fan and valley $204{\mu}g\;TPF\;g^{-1}\;24h^{-1}$ was higher than alluvial plain $93{\mu}g\;TPF\;g^{-1}\;24h^{-1}$ (p<0.05). The communities of total bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria in the fan and valley paddy soils were significantly higher than those in the alluvial plain paddy soils (p<0.05). Total bacteria communities should be considered as a potential responsible factor for the obvious microbial community differentiation that was observed between the fan and valley and alluvial plain in paddy soils.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.1164-1168
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• 2011

This study evaluated the soil microbial communities by fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) method in soils (6 sites for immatured paddy, 9 sites for normal paddy, and 5 sites for sandy paddy) in Gyeongnam Province. The soil microbial biomass carbon content in normal and sandy paddy were 1,235 and $441mg\;kg^{-1}$, respectively, showing the soil microbial biomass carbon content in normal paddy was higher than that in sandy paddy. The soil organic matter contents $33g\;kg^{-1}$ of immatured and normal paddy were higher than sandy paddy $18g\;kg^{-1}$ (p<0.05). The communities of total bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria in normal paddy were significantly higher than those in sandy paddy (p<0.05). Total bacteria communities should be considered as a potential responsible factor for the obvious microbial community differentiation.