Characterization of selected groups of microorganisms occurring in soil rhizosphere and phyllosphere of oats.

Studies were carried out on the microflora of phyllosphere and soil rhizosphere of hulled (Chwat variety) and naked (Akt variety) oats. The material taken for study embraced samples of leaves and soil rhizosphere taken from cultivations differing in extent of nitrogen fertilization. The studies involved determination of total number of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria belonging to the genus Pseudomonas and microscopic hyphal fungi. Qualitative determinations focused on bacteria belonging to the genera Azotobacter and Azospirillum were also made. Our results point to differences in number of microscopic hyphal fungi in the phyllosphere of both varieties of oats, depending on nitrogen fertilization dose. However, there were no significant differences in the number of bacteria of the different genera determined in the phyllosphere and rhizosphere. Strains of oligonitrophilic and diazotrophic bacteria were isolated from samples of the phyllosphere of oats and their N2-fixing activity was determined by the acetylene reduction method using gas chromatography.