2008 Joint Annual Meeting (5-9 Oct. 2008): Nitrogen Fertilizers on Soil Quality: Microbial Diversity.

Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) is a useful technology in assessing the microbial diversity in a soil environment.  In this study the bacterial diversity was investigated in an agricultural environment.  Objectives investigated were if nitrogen or mode of nitrogen affects the soil biodiversity, if manure or amount of manure affects biodiversity, or if the combination of the two affects biodiversity. The two chemical fertilizers used were ammonium nitrate and polymer base slow release fertilizer at two levels (100 and 400 pounds per acre foot slide).  The chemical fertilizers were applied to a heavy manure history of over twenty years of application plot, a little manure history less than five years of application of manure plot, and a no manure plot.  Samples were collected before time of application and at three time points following (11 days, 28 days, and 28 days respectively).  Following DNA extraction the V2-V3 region of the 16s rRNA  (16srDNA) were PCR amplified with the eubacterium specific primers 341 fgc-GC clamp and the 534 r.  DGGE banding patterns were compared between treatment levels and plot applied.  Differences in banding patterns between manure plots and between chemical fertilizers were observed, however rates of application seemed to have similar banding patterns.  This data suggests that manure application and chemical fertilizers can change the biodiversity in the soil.