Soil Physicochemical Parameters Determine the Structure of Bacterial Communities in Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) Agroecosystems: Evidence from Metabarcoding
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.28940/terra.latinam..v44i.2466Keywords:
agricultural sustainability, bioinformatics, high-throughput sequencing, microbial diversityAbstract
This study evaluated the ef fect of three cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) production systems monoculture (T1), diversified (T2), and agroforestry (T3) on soil physicochemical properties and bacterial community structure. Soil samples were collected using a systematic sampling design and analyzed for physical and chemical indicators. Bacterial communities were characterized through high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene (V3–V4 region), followed by bioinformatic processing and multivariate statistical analyses. The diversified system (T2) exhibited significantly improved soil conditions, including higher pH, organic matter, and nutrient availability (N, P, K, Ca, Mg), compared to monoculture (T1), while T3 showed intermediate values. These edaphic dif ferences were associated with changes in microbial diversity and composition. Alpha diversity indices (Observed, Chao1, Shannon, Simpson) were significantly higher in T2 and lowest in T1 (p < 0.05). Beta diversity analyses (PCoA based on Aitchison and Bray–Curtis distances) revealed clear separation among treatments, indicating distinct community structures. At the taxonomic level, dif ferences were observed not only at the family level but also at the genus level. Monoculture soils were relatively enriched in genera af filiated with Acidobacteria and Bradyrhizobium, whereas diversified systems showed higher relative abundance of genera such as Rhizobium, Burkholderia, and Streptomyces, commonly reported in association with nutrient cycling processes. Agroforestry systems presented intermediate compositions, including genera such as Sphingomonas and Pseudomonas. Multivariate analyses (db-RDA) indicated that soil pH, organic matter, and nutrient availability were significant drivers of bacterial community structure. These results provide evidence that cacao production systems are associated with shif ts in soil properties and microbial assemblages. Overall, diversification was linked to improved soil conditions and greater microbial diversity, suggesting its potential role in promoting more stable soil environments in tropical agroecosystems.
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