Progress in Recent Research on Soil Hydrogen-oxidizing Bacteria Associated with Legume Nodules and Rotation Benefits

Abstract

Crop rotation and intercropping involving legume crops are traditional agricultural practices to increase soil fertility for achieving a higher yield and profit and allowing for sustained production.N contribution from legumes in crop rotation and intercropping has been suggested as the major factor responsible for the beneficial effect.Recent studies showed that H2 produced as a byproduct of N2 fixation in the legume crops can improve the growth and yield of the subsequent crops by changing soil bacterial community structure,especially the soil hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria which can use H2 as energy and CO2 as carbon source to grow chemoautotrophically.This paper summarizes the recent researches on soil hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria associated with legume nodules,offers some possible plant growth-promoting mechanisms,and also suggests new research directions on this important plant-microbe interaction in agriculture.