Microbial responses to municipal sludge and fertilizer application in soil agro-ecosystems

Municipal sludge waste and fertilizer application have been proven beneficial in improving soil nutritional quality, thereby enhancing agricultural productivity. But, the long-terms effects of this treatment on soil microbial community profile has not been studied in detail. The present study emphasizes on understanding the effects of long-term sludge and fertilizer application on soil microbiomes in maize and grassland cropping systems using next generation sequencing and enzymatic assays. The study provides a new and interesting insight into the behaviour of the soil microbiome in different cropping systems by linking the microbial diversity with soil variables, microbial biomass and enzymatic assays.