Bacterial alpha-diversity indices among the three differentjhum fallow cycles and rhizosphere niches, root interior, and
bulk soil
Broadly, all measures of bacterial alpha-diversity (Observed OTU
richness, Faith’s phylogenetic diversity, Shannon index) were greater in
5-year fallow periods than 8-year and 20-years, although the difference
was statistically significant only between 5 years and 20 years fallow
cycle field samples (Table 2). Among the different niches, LARS showed
the greatest alpha diversity followed by SARS, then RI, with BS having
the lowest diversity. A similar pattern was shown in the volatility
chart (Fig 6). The overall bacterial alpha diversity was greatest in
rice, with maize and arahar crops being similar to one another (Table
2).