Diversity of Fungal and Bacterial Communities in Bioinputs from Chiapas Mountains and Soils from Maize Agroecosystems

Abstract

The increasing demand for food has driven intensive agricultural practices, which negatively impact soil health and ecosystem stability; therefore, it is necessary to adopt sustainable alternatives that enhance crop productivity while minimizing environmental damage. The aim of this study was to characterize the bacterial and fungal microbiota present in bioinputs derived from mountain soil microorganisms used in maize cultivation, as well as the microbial communities in agricultural soils at the end of the cultivation stage across different plots in the Frailesca region, Chiapas, Mexico. Bacterial communities showed differences among bioinputs depending on their origin, while soil samples showed relatively similar bacterial distribution patterns across plots. Conversely, fungal communities displayed heterogeneous distribution patterns in both bioinputs and soils. Several microbial groups related to beneficial functions for plants and soil, such as nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, and the production of phytohormones and siderophores were identified; those belonging to the genera Acetobacter, Klebsiella, Meyerozyma, Saccharomyces, and Paecilomyces were found in bioinputs, while those belonging to the genera Bradyrhizobium, Sphingomonas, Penicillium, Talaromyces, Humicola, and Metarhizium were identified in soil samples. The results demonstrate that bioinputs contain microbial communities with potential plant growth-promoting functions and can serve as strategies for improving soil health through sustainable agricultural production.