Metagenomic analysis of rhizospheric soil microbial communities in mustard and green gram cropping systems
The rhizosphere represents a dynamic and biologically active zone of soil influenced by plant roots, harboring diverse microbial communities that play crucial roles in nutrient cycling, plant growth promotion, and soil health maintenance. Understanding the structure and diversity of rhizospheric microbiota is essential for improving sustainable agricultural practices and crop productivity.In the present study, a comprehensive metagenomic analysis of rhizospheric soil microbial communities associated with two important cropping systems - mustard (Brassica juncea) and green gram (Vigna radiata) - was conducted. Soil samples were collected from agricultural fields in Odisha, India, under controlled agronomic conditions.Total genomic DNA was extracted from rhizospheric soil samples and subjected to 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing targeting the hypervariable regions (e.g., V3-V4). High-throughput sequencing was performed using the Illumina platform. Raw sequencing reads were processed through quality control pipelines, including adapter trimming and merging of paired-end reads, followed by downstream bioinformatics analysis.The study aims to:Characterize the taxonomic diversity and composition of soil microbial communitiesCompare microbial profiles between mustard and green gram rhizospheresIdentify beneficial and plant growth-promoting microbial taxaExplore potential shifts in microbial ecology influenced by crop typeThe findings from this study will contribute to a better understanding of soil microbiome dynamics in legume and non-legume cropping systems and support the development of microbiome-based sustainable agricultural strategies.