Ajay K. Mishra ^* Poonam Yadav Piyush Maurya Sheetal Sharma

• International Rice Research Institute (India), New Delhi, India

The microbial species diversity and distribution of microbial communities are essential for crops health, nutrient cycling, availability and subsequent plant growth. They are greatly altered by various soil management practices, inputs and techniques. In the present study, effects of chemical and organic management practices on soil microbial diversity and community structure using amplicon sequencing of both the 16s and ITS regions were examined and compared. Two crop field for contrasting soil sample, one organically treated and another chemically treated were selected at the International Rice Research Institute-South Asia Regional Centre (IRRI-SARC) Varanasi. One sampling sites was treated with chemical fertilizers/input (as conventional farming practice field at the institute farm) and another with natural farming practices including tillage practices, crop residue and water management practices. Soil samples were collected in replicates and analysed for bacterial and fungal diversity comparison. Our findings showed that the two soil treatments had different patterns of microbial community composition, with the organically or naturally managed soil exhibiting a higher number and diversity of decomposer bacteria and fungi, showing 40 unique elements in organic soil samples and 19 unique elements in inorganic based soil. Comparing the genus of both soil samples natural farming practices showed higher relative abundance (%). Our results emphasize the significance of sustainable soil management techniques, and imply that organic fertilization/inputs can increase soil microbial diversity and richness. The functional significance of these microbial communities in soil ecosystems and their potential to affect crop yield and nutrient cycling require further study.