Sugarcane is an extremely important crop in Brazilian agriculture. However, little is known about the structure of microbial communities associated with the soils and rhizosphere of these plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the structure and diversity of bacterial communities associated with the soil and rhizosphere of six sugarcane varieties grown in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Analyses were carried out based on methods not dependent on the crop, where the PCR-DGGE technique revealed alterations in […]

It is well-known that Amazon tropical forest soils contain high microbial biodiversity. However, anthropogenic actions of slash and burn, mainly for pasture establishment, induce profound changes in the well-balanced biogeochemical cycles. After a few years the grass yield usually declines, the pasture is abandoned and is transformed into a secondary vegetation called “capoeira” or fallow. The aim of this study was to examine how the clearing of Amazon rainforest for pasture affects: (1) the diversity of the Bacteria domain evaluated […]