NEW DIRECTIONS IN ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF MICROBIAL POPULATIONS IN CANELAND SOILS

SOIL microbiological research is an area of increasing interest to agricultural industries as it is a recognised component of soil health. Microbial populations play a fundamental role in the cycling of nutrients in soil and are well established as a component of structural soil stability, and thus agricultural sustainability. The Australian sugar cane industry is aiming to increase its crop productivity, decrease its inputs, and improve environmental performance. For these reasons, soil microbial research is being increasingly recognised as a means to provide practical management options improve industry performance and viability. This paper provides an overview of techniques available to evaluate soil microbial populations. Particular emphasis is placed on the information that the emerging discipline of molecular bioscience can provide on species composition and diversity.