Variation in the incidence of H2-oxidizing chemolithotrophic bacteria in rice grown under different cultivation conditions

Summary The incidence of H₂-oxidizing chemolithotrophic bacteria associated with rice grown under continuous wetland, upland, and rainfed wetland conditions was studied by¹⁴C-autoradiographic technique in a neutral soil at IRRI (Maahas) and an acid rainfed wetland soil (Luisiana).In Maahas soil, H₂-oxidizing chemolithotrophic bacteria were not detected in the endorhizosphere, rhizosphere, and nonrhizosphere soil of rice grown under dryland conditions. Under continuously flooded conditions a very large population of these bacteria were found in the endorhizosphere but not in the oxidized and reduced soil.A very low population of these bacteria were found in the endorhizosphere and basal culm of rice grown under rainfed wetland conditions at Luisiana. Bacteria isolated from Maahas wetland rice and inoculated to rice seedling planted in Luisiana soil failed to establish.Both Maahas and Luisiana soils consumed externally supplied H₂ and produced H₂ and CH₄ almost at the same rate when they were amended with rice straw or sucrose. This paper discusses possible causes of variation in the number of these bacteria and their distribution in rice grown under different cultural and soil conditions.