Iron toxicity is one of the main edaphic constraints that hamper rice production in West African savanna and forest lowlands. Although chemical reduction processes of various types of pedogenic iron oxides could not be underestimated, the bulk of these processes can be ascribed to the specific activity of Iron-Reducing Bacteria (IRB). The reducing conditions of waterlogged lowland soils boost iron toxicity through the reduction of almost all iron into ferrous form (Fe 2+), which can cause disorder in rice plant and crop yield losses. Aiming to contribute at the improvement of rice yield in Africa, an experiment was developed to evaluate the impact of subsurface drainage on IRB dynamics and activity during rice cultivation. Twelve concrete microplots with a clay-loam soil and a rice variety susceptible to iron toxicity (FKR 19) were used for the experiment. Soil in microplots was drained for 7 days (P1), 14 days (P2), and 21 days (P3), respectively. Control (T) microplots without drainage were prepared similarly. The evolution of IRB populations and the content of ferrous iron in the paddy soil and in soil near rice root were monitored throughout the cultural cycle using MPN and colorimetric methods, respectively. Data obtained were analyzed in relation to drainage frequency, rice growth stage, and rice yield using the Student t test and XLSTAT 7.5.2 statistical software. From the results obtained, the subsurface drainage reduced significantly IRB populations (p = 0.024). However, the drainage did not affect significantly ferrous iron concentration in the soil near rice roots (p = 0.708). The concentration of ferrous iron (p < * Corresponding author. C. H. Otoidobiga et al. 861 0.0001) in soil near rice roots and the number of IRB (p < 0.0001) were significantly higher during the rice tillering and maturity stages. Although no significant difference was observed for rice yield among treatments (p = 0.209), the P2 subsurface drainage showed the highest yield and the lowest concentration of ferrous iron in soil near rice roots.

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Iron toxicity is a major stress to rice caused by a high concentration of reduced iron, in the soil in many lowlands worldwide. To reduce iron toxicity in the West African lowlands, an investigation was performed at the site of the University of Ouagadougou, in pots containing an iron toxic soil from the Kou Valley (West of Burkina Faso). The experiment objective was to study the effect of mineral fertilizer on Iron Reducing Bacteria (IRB) dynamics and activity during rice cultivation, iron accumulation in rice plant and rice biomass yield under iron toxicity conditions. BOUAKE-189 and ROK-5 rice varieties, sensitive and tolerant to iron toxicity, respectively, were used for the experiment. The pots were amended with chemical fertilizers (NPK + Urea and NPK + Urea + Ca + Mg + Zn complex). Control pots without fertilization were prepared similarly. The kinetics of IRB and ferrous iron content in soil near rice roots were monitored throughout the cultural cycle using MPN and colorimetric methods, respectively. The total iron content was evaluated in rice plant * Corresponding author. C. H. Otoidobiga et al. 1120 using spectrometric method. Data obtained were analyzed in relation to fertilization mode, rice growth stage and rice yield using the student's t-test and XLSTAT 2014 statistical software. The experiment revealed that NPK + Urea and NPK + Urea + Ca + Mg + Zn fertilization, decreased significantly (p < 0.0001) the number of IRB in the soil for BOUAKE-189 rice varieties. In most pots, highest IRB densities and ferrous iron content in soil were recorded from rice tillering and flowering to maturity stages, indicating that rice plants promoted microbial processes and iron reduction in soil. From the study, the NPK + Urea amendment decreased significantly ferrous iron content (p < 0.0001) in soil near BOUAKE-189 and ROK-5 rice varieties roots relatively to control pots. However, NPK + Urea + Ca + Zn + Mg amendment increased significantly ferrous iron content (p < 0.0001) in the soil near roots, Fe accumulation in plant biomass and rice yield for the two rice varieties.

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Sulfide toxicity is a common disease generally associated with iron toxicity which occurs in rice fields when the Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria (SRB) produce sulfides ions in anaerobic conditions. The high quantity of sulfides ions in the soil solution upsets the mineral element balance in the rice, affects its growth and causes crop yield losses. In Burkina Faso, many rice field soils are abandoned due to sulfides toxicity. The present study was developed to evaluate the impact of subsurface drainage on SRB dynamics and activity during rice cultivation and the incidence on rice production. Twelve concrete microplots with a clay-loam soil and a rice variety susceptible to sulfides toxicity (FKR 19) were used for the experiment. Soil in microplots was drained for 7 days (P1), 14 days (P2), and 21 days (P3), respectively. Control (T) microplots without drainage were prepared similarly. The evolution of SRB populations and the content of sulfides ions in the paddy soil and in soil near rice roots were monitored throughout the cultural cycle using MPN and colorimetric methods, respectively. Data obtained were analyzed in relation to drainage frequency, rice growth stage, and rice yield using the Student's t-test and XLSTAT 7.5.2 statistical software. From the results obtained, the subsurface drainage did not affect significantly SRB populations (P = 0.187). However, the drainage affected significantly sulfides concentration in the soil near rice roots (P = 0.032). The concentration of sulfides (P < 0.0001) in soil near rice roots and the number of SRB (P < 0.0001) were significantly higher during the rice tillering and maturity stages. Although no significant difference was observed for rice yield among treatments (P = 0.209), the P2 * Corresponding author. C. H. Otoidobiga et al. 1394subsurface drainage showed the highest yield and a low concentration of sulfides in soil near rice roots.