Microbial communities in organic and traditional rice fields

Rice is an important source of nutrients for humans around the world. Brazil is a significant global player in this field having one of the largest areas for rice production. Rice plantations, in general, are still dependent on the use of herbicides to avoid crop diseases. The extensive use of these agrochemicals potentially contaminates several ecosystems and could affect non-target organisms. Microorganisms are essential regulators and play a significant role in ecological processes; thus, developing sustainable and unique strategies to preserve microbial diversity is essential. Because the lack of studies focused on the effect of pesticides on non-target organisms, the aim of the present work is to compare the composition of eukaryotes and prokaryotes, in the water and soil, of an organic and under the influence of the herbicide Roundup® rice paddies. Results showed distinct eukaryotic and prokaryotic communities in the water and in soil. Glyphosate and AMPA affected the richness and diversity of the eukaryotic and prokaryotic communities in different ways. Effects of glyphosate were also observed overtime, indicating that both eukaryotic and prokaryotic communities can recover after 121 days of the application of the herbicide.