Seasonal variations in microbial diversity in termite infested tea fields of Assam

Abstract

Seasonal variations in soil microbial populations along with the physico-chemical properties of four different termite infested tea estates located in two different agro climatic zones viz. the north bank of the Brahmaputra river and Cachar of Assam were studied. Investigations revealed a higher number of bacteria, fungal and actinomycetes colonies than the beneficial microbes Azotobacter,  Azospirillum and phosphate solubilizing microbes in termite infested tea soil than in the non-infested tea soil during both summer and winter seasons. A marked variation in soil mycoflora was also observed in the studied agronomic zones in different seasons. In both the seasons, species of Penicillium and Aspergillus were found to be abundant in termite infested and non-infested tea soils, respectively.