Diversity of the bacteria in the roots of sugarcane used to produce Wasanbon in Kagawa, Japan.

Soil bacteria are an important factor in the cycle of nutrients in soil, while root bacteria in the internal tissues of plants can promote plant growth. The aim of this research was to study the diversity of root bacteria of sugarcane grown in Kagawa, Japan. The sugarcane, derived from Saccharum sinense and grown only in this area, is used as a raw material for Wasanbon (a fine-grained Japanese sugar) and is characterized by thin stalks and a low sugar content. To determine its bacterial diversity, bacterial DNA was extracted from the soil and roots, and 16S rRNA genes were sequenced. A total of 1259 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were detected in the root bacteria and 3894 OTUs in the soil bacteria. The α-diversity between the soil and root bacteria was significantly different. The most abundant class of root and soil bacteria was proteobacteria at more than 50 and 30%, respectively. The endophyte bacteria of rhizobium were also isolated and the nifH gene was detected. The relationship between the application of nitrogen-fixing bacteria and the production of Wasanbon should be studied.