Abstract
Elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) is one of the most productive warm-season grasses. Farmers utilize elephant grass in different forms, such as cut-and-carry, grazing, conserved forage (silage, hay), and as an energy source (Lira et al. 2010). Nitrogen (N) is an essential element for plant growth and development and is usually a limiting factor for forage production in the tropics (Boddey et al. 2004). Biological N fixation (BNF) may occur in warm-season grasses by their association with diazotrophic bacteria. These bacteria colonize different niches in the host plant: Endophytic bacteria form colonies inside the plant tissue, whereas epiphytic bacteria colonize external surfaces of plants (Compant et al. 2010). Both types of bacteria may benefit host plants (Badri et al. 2009). This study evaluated endophytic diazotrophic bacteria density associated with the roots of different elephant grass cultivars using 2 N-free growth media, at different times after inoculation.
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