Abstract
Biological N 2 fixation (BNF) by associative diazotrophic bacteria is a spontaneous process where soil N is limited and adequate C sources are available. Yet the ability of these bacteria to contribute to yields in crops is only partly a result of BNF. A range of diazotrophic plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria participate in interactions with C 3 and C 4 crop plants (e.g. rice, wheat, maize, sugarcane and cotton), significantly increasing their vegetative growth and grain yield. We review the potential of these bacteria to contribute to yield increases in a range of field crops and outline possible strategies to obtain such yield increases more reliably. The mechanisms involved have a significant plant growth-promoting potential, retaining more soil organic-N and other nutrients in the plant–soil system, thus reducing the need for fertiliser N and P. Economic and environmental benefits can include increased income from high yields, reduced fertiliser costs and reduced emission of the greenhouse gas, N 2O (with more than 300 times the global warming effect of CO 2), as well as reduced leaching of NO 3 −–N to ground water. Obtaining maximum benefits on farms from diazotrophic, plant growth promoting biofertilisers will require a systematic strategy designed to fully utilise all these beneficial factors, allowing crop yields to be maintained or even increased while fertiliser applications are reduced.
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