Bacterial diversity in rice field soil and sludge soil samples: a comparative metagenomics-based study

Abstract Soil contains several organic, and inorganic substances and a large number of bacterial diversity. This bacterial diversity is also involved in biomass degradation and plant growth promotion. Metagenomic sequencing was used to analyze bacterial diversity in the rice field soil and sludge samples. Amplicon sequencing of the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that representative sequences clustered were 0.4 million in both rice and sludge samples. The Venn diagram demonstrates the overall identified OTUs was 359 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs). OTUs were classified into more than 30 phyla, 50 classes, and 90 genera. The metagenomic analysis revealed that 82 and 85 taxa are exclusively unique to the bacterial communities of the rice and sludge soils, respectively. The metagenomic study also revealed that Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria and other unknown bacteria were reported in 16S rRNA Illumina MiSeq in the sludge and rice soil samples. The most abundant groups in rice field soil were Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes which increase the soil nutrient and influence the growth of the plants. Bacteroidetes are the most dominant group in sludge soil than rice field soil. This comparative analysis provides insights into the ecological roles and adaptive strategies of soil bacteria in different environmental contexts, offering valuable information for sustainable soil management and bioremediation practices.