Black Wattle Research Articles

Methods of overcoming dormancy in seeds and initial development of Black Wattle

The objective of this work was to analyze the efficacy of different methods of dormancy break in seeds of Acacia mearnsii De Wild. The work was performed at the UFSM Botany Lab and Forest Nursery, in Frederico Westphalen, RS. The treatments were: (T1) control; (T2) immersion in hot water (90 °C) for 5 minutes, followed by rest; (T3) immersion in hot water (90 °C) for 10 minutes, followed by rest; (T4) chemical scarification with concentrated sulfuric acid for 3 minutes, followed by washing under running water; (T5) chiseling with concentrated sulfuric acid for 5 minutes, followed by washing under running water. The seeds were sown in plastic trays with Oxisol and vermiculite. The results were submitted to analysis of variance and data were differentiated by Test t with 5% of probability. The most efficient treatment to overcome dormancy was T2, presenting 81.29% of germinated seeds and IVG of 18.23 days for germination. This treatment was also the best for the variables of physical vigor and best performing root length and aerial part, and did not differ from improved treatments for diameter and green mass weight.

Substrates for seedlings with sewage sludge and biochar

The objective of this study was to evaluate substrates formulated with proportions of sewage sludge (SS)-solarized and SS-biochar in the production of seedlings of two indicator crops: lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and black wattle (Acacia decurrens Wild). The study was composed of two experiments conducted in greenhouse, in randomized block designs. The treatments consisted of five doses of SS-solarized and SS-biochar, combined with rice husk ash and vermiculite in different proportions (20:40:40, 30:35:35, 40:30:30, 50:25:25 and 60:20:20) and two commercial substrates (controls). Morphophysiological characteristics of the seedlings and the physico-hydric characteristics, pH and electrical conductivity of the substrates were evaluated. The pyrolysis process enhanced the characteristics of SS as a component of substrates, where the substrate with 20% of SS-biochar, 40% of vermiculite and 40% of rice husk ash, presented the better performance.

Pot trial screening of chemical, biological and natural insecticides for the management of white grubs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) during eucalypt and wattle establishment

In South African forest plantations, white grubs (Scarabaeidae larvae) can contribute to high transplant mortality following re-establishment. Currently registered insecticides are considered highly hazardous and their use is restricted by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Therefore, there is an immediate need to find effective alternative products for the control of white grubs. To circumvent sporadic spatial variations associated with field trials, a pot trial bioassay method was developed to screen a broad range of alternative chemical, biological and natural products for the control of Schizonycha affinis on eucalypt (Eucalyptus grandis W.Hill) and black wattle (Acacia mearnsii De Wild.) seedlings. The first pot trial screened 14 insecticide options against two white grub instar stages. Treatments included two registered chemical insecticides (deltamethrin, imidacloprid), one alternative chemical insecticide (clothianidin), two natural insecticides (azadirachtin, diatomaceous earth), and four biological insecticides (two Beauveria spp., a Bacillus and a Trichoderma sp.). In addition, potassium silicate was tested in combination with natural and biological insecticides. The most promising insecticides were re-tested against a single larval stage. Results from both trials showed that treatment with imidacloprid tablets and liquid (registered products), clothianidin and B. brongniartii were significantly better than all other products in reducing the impact of white grub damage on E. grandis and A. mearnsii seedlings. The use of pot trials with planned inoculations of the viable target pest proved useful in the initial screening of control products. The information generated in this study will contribute to the development of an alternative FSC-compliant strategy for the control of white grubs in plantation forest regeneration.

What factors should be accounted for when developing a generalized taper function for black wattle trees?

Taper functions have been widely used for various purposes. Several functions were developed and successfully applied; however, most of these functions fail to account for the influence of stand-level and individual-tree effects of variation on the stem profile. Hence, we aimed in this study to assess how these factors influence the stem profile of black wattle (Acacia mearnsii De Wild.) trees in southern Brazil. There is a notable necessity for developing a domestic market for black wattle solid wood. The database was composed of 218 black wattle trees at age 10 years distributed across the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A dimensionally compatible taper equation combined with the mixed-effect modeling approach was used. Additionally, auxiliary variables were included to build a generalized taper function that explains stem form variations. In general, all variables showed a significant influence on the stem profile, except the crown ratio. The inclusion of relative spacing and tree hierarchical position in the taper function resulted in higher accuracy when estimating stem diameters and total tree volume. This study indicates that accounting for attributes at the stand and individual-tree levels may improve stem profile predictions, as well as the biological soundness of the taper function.

Development of an SSR-based DNA fingerprinting method for black wattle (Acacia mearnsii De Wild)

Background: The most commonly used method for extracting DNA from plant leaf tissue involves cetyl trimethylammonium bromide but some species, such as Acacia mearnsii, contain high levels of secondary metabolites and polysaccharides that interfere with this process. Various modifications have been proposed for effective removal of these biomolecules but these methods can be time consuming. Therefore, this study was initiated to optimise the cetyl-trimethylammonium bromide protocol for the extraction of high-quality genomic DNA and to develop a fingerprinting tool using cross species transferable simple sequence repeat markers for genetic diversity studies in A. mearnsii.
 Methods: Five CTAB-based modification were examined and 49 cross-species microsatellite markers, developed for several Acacia species, were tested in four multiplex panels of A. mearnsii populations.
 Results: The modified protocol yields high quantity and quality DNA from A. mearnsii leaves using high concentration of NaCl to remove polysaccharides and polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) to eliminate polyphenols during DNA purification. In addition, omitting the selective precipitation and NaCl gradient steps in the extraction protocol, enabled us to extract DNA 10–20 min faster than the normal protocol. Of the tested microsatellite loci, 11 were successful in amplifying sharp and high-intensity bands in all the four multiplex panels and were polymorphic. The level of polymorphism ranged from 0.115 to 0.794, with a mean 0.50 and mean number of alleles varied from 2 to 10, with overall mean of 6 alleles per locus. The mean observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.058 to 0.970 and 0.102 to 0.796, respectively. The 11 microsatellite loci that were effectively amplified from A. mearnsii DNA were adequate in detecting genetic variation among the tested populations.
 Conclusions: These PCR-based, multi-allelic, co-dominant microsatellite markers provide a powerful tool for genetic, breeding and conservation studies in A. mearnsii.

Relationship of the physicochemical properties of novel ZnO/biochar composites to their efficiencies in the degradation of sulfamethoxazole and methyl orange

Three different composites were produced, based on zinc oxide and biochar (ZnO/biochar), varying the type of biomass (Salvinia molesta: SM; exhausted husk of black wattle: EH; and sugarcane bagasse: SB), with pyrolysis under mild conditions at 350 and 450 °C. Evaluation was made of the capacities of the composites for photocatalytic degradation of sulfamethoxazole antibiotic (SMX) and methyl orange dye (MO). The properties of the prepared composites were influenced by the biomass source, with larger crystallite size (SB), lower band gap energy (SM), higher specific surface area (SB), and larger pore size (SM) resulting in higher photocatalytic efficiency. Good degradation results were obtained using these innovative photocatalysts prepared at low temperatures, when compared to ZnO/biochar materials reported in previous studies. The best degradation capacities were obtained for the composites produced at 450 °C from SB and SM, with 99.3 and 97% degradation of SMX after 45 min, and 90.8 and 88.3% degradation of MO after 120 min, respectively.

Optimization of genomic DNA extraction protocol for black wattle

Considerando-se que a atual tendência do melhoramento florestal é a integração das técnicas clássicas com as de análise genética molecular, faz-se necessária a obtenção de protocolos de extração de DNA genômico ajustados a cada espécie estudada. O objetivo do trabalho foi determinar o efeito de diferentes adaptações no protocolo de extração de DNA genômico CTAB para acácia-negra. Foram testados diferentes componentes na fase de extração orgânica: clorofórmio, fenol e proteinase K, além da aplicação de RNase após a fase de precipitação e limpeza do DNA. Também, foi investigada a eficiência destes tratamentos em amostras de folíolos frescas ou armazenadas em baixa temperatura durante sete dias. Foi verificada a presença de DNA de todas as amostras submetidas à extração pelo protocolo de CTAB com os diferentes tratamentos. O tempo de armazenamento das amostras não influenciou na integridade do DNA, entretanto, foi possível observar que a adição de RNase melhorou a qualidade do DNA extraído. Deste modo, sugere-se a utilização do protocolo CTAB com uso de clorofórmio e RNase, com amostras frescas ou armazenadas em baixas temperaturas.

Lignocellulosic pretreatment-mediated phenolic by-products generation and their effect on the inhibition of an endo-1,4-β-xylanase from Thermomyces lanuginosus VAPS-24

The inhibitory effect of eight model lignin derivatives (ferulic acid, guaiacol, kraft lignin (alkali, low sulfonate content), p-coumaric acid, gallic acid, syringic acid, vanillin and vanillic acid) on XynA activity was evaluated. The model lignin derivatives viz. gallic acid, vanillic acid and vanillin were inhibitory to XynA activity, with an over 50% reduction in activity at concentrations as low as 0.5mg/ml. However, enzyme deactivation studies in the absence of substrate showed that these pretreatment by-products do not interact with the enzyme except when in the presence of its substrate. The effect of the main structural properties of the pretreatment-derived phenolics, for example their hydroxyl and carbonyl group types, on XynA enzyme inhibition was investigated. The presence of carbonyl groups in phenolics appeared to confer stronger inhibitory effects than hydroxyl groups on XynA activity. The hydrolytic potential of XynA was not inhibited by a mixture of phenolics derived after steam pretreatment of woody biomass (Douglas fir and Black wattle). It appears as if the liquors from steam-pretreated woody biomass did not possess high enough phenolic content to confer XynA inhibition. The xylanase (XynA from Thermomyces lanuginosus) is, therefore, a striking choice for application in biofuel and fine chemical industries for the xylan degradation in steam-pretreated biomass.

COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN THE STEM VOLUME AND TAPER EQUATIONS VOLUME FOR BLACK WATTLE TREES

A system of equations widely used in Forest Engineering by the international community of researchers consists of a combination of a volumetric function and a taper function, with the purpose of making volume estimates compatible. When using the volume function and the taper function in a system, the result of the volume estimated by the two functions should be compatible, meaning that the volume estimated by the volumetric function should not differ from the volume obtained by integrating the taper function. Thus, the purpose of this paper was to develop and present the procedures of a system of equations to make volume estimates from both volume and taper equations compatible, and then compare it to the traditional approach, which is used in forestry companies. The procedures proposed were applied to a data set on the Acacia mearnsii De Wild. (black wattle) at sites where the plantation of this species is concentrated in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The data set included 343 trees ranging from 5 to 10.75 years of age. It was noted that the lack of volume compatibility, in absolute terms, grows exponentially with the size of the tree. The quality of the estimates using the system of compatible equations did not differ from those obtained from the traditional model, therefore, the former is preferable. Furthermore, it was noted that the residuals from the volume and taper equations are correlated, which suggests that the system of equations be fitted simultaneously.

Xylem Embolism Spreads by Single-Conduit Events in Three Dry Forest Angiosperm Stems.

Xylem cavitation resulting in air embolism is a major cause of plant death during drought, yet the spread of embolism throughout the plant water transport system is poorly understood. Our study used optical visualization and x-ray microcomputed tomography imaging to capture the spread of emboli in stems of three drought-resistant angiosperm trees: drooping she-oak (Allocasuarina verticillata), black wattle (Acacia mearnsii), and blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus). These species have similar degrees of xylem network connectivity (vessel grouping) with largely solitary vessels. The high temporal resolution of the optical vulnerability technique revealed that in current year branches, >80% of the cavitation events were discrete, temporally separated events in single vessels. This suggests that in xylem networks with low connectivity, embolism spread between conduits leading to multiple conduit cavitation events is uncommon. A. mearnsii showed both the highest number of multivessel cavitation events and the highest degree of vessel connectivity, suggesting a link between vessel arrangement and embolism spread. Knowledge of embolism spread will help us to uncover the links between xylem anatomy, arrangement, and the path of water flow in the xylem in diverse species to ultimately understand the drivers of cavitation and plant vulnerability to drought.

Effects of Black Wattle (Acacia mearnsii) Condensed Tannins on Intake, Protozoa Population, Ruminal Fermentation, and Nutrient Digestibility in Jersey Steers.

Simple SummaryCondensed tannins are plant secondary compounds that can modulate ruminal fermentation by binding to proteins, reducing their ruminal degradation, and also reduce ruminal protozoa, which may improve the efficiency of nitrogen utilization. In this study, we tested increasing levels (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 g/kg of diet dry matter) of Acacia mearnsii condensed tannins in the diets of Jersey steers. Condensed tannins did not affect intake and ruminal protozoa population, but reduced protein digestibility and decreased ruminal pH and acetate proportion. Overall, the tested doses of condensed tannins extract did not improve ruminal fermentation and nutrient digestibility.The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of inclusion of condensed tannins (CT) from black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) on feed intake, ruminal protozoa population, ruminal fermentation, and nutrient digestibility in Jersey steers. Five ruminally-cannulated steers were used in a 5 × 5 Latin square design, with five periods of 20 days each (14 days for diet adaptation and six days for sample collection per period). Treatments were composed of dietary inclusion levels of condensed tannins at 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 g/kg of diet dry matter. Intakes of dry matter, organic matter, ether extract, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and total digestible nutrients were not affected by condensed tannins. The ruminal pH was reduced linearly with tannin levels. Ruminal ammonia nitrogen concentration was not affected by tannins. Tannins reduced the molar proportion of acetate and did not affect the ruminal protozoal population, which might be related to the low doses used. Digestibilities of dry matter, organic matter, and neutral detergent fiber were not altered; however, there was a linear reduction in crude protein digestibility. Based on these results, CT extracts from black wattle are not recommended for improving nutrient utilization in steers at the tested levels.

Post-pyrolysis treatments of biochars from sewage sludge and A. mearnsii for ammonia (NH4-n) recovery

NH4-N-loaded biochars are suitable candidates for soil amendment and fertilization. Sewage sludge-based biochar and biochar from the invasive species black wattle were used as sorbents for the adsorption of ammonia from a concentrated solution to mimic the wastewater treatment plant reject water stream. To increase ammonium recovery efficiency, two post-pyrolysis activation techniques were compared: steam activation and hydrogen peroxide treatment. It was found that the success of the treatment options was material dependent; therefore, post-pyrolysis treatments will require optimization for different applications based on feedstock. A simplified version of an adsorption process simulated in Aspen Tech predicts that NH4-N may be recovered at an energy cost lower than that of the Haber-Bosch process for black wattle biochar yields of below 19.5%. The biooil and syngas produced during pyrolysis can be used to lessen the energy requirements of the process, so that the solid portion may be utilized as an adsorbent and soil fertilizer. The energy-based sustainability of this technology warrants a more in-depth investigation for evaluation of the techno-economic feasibility for this class of loaded sorbents, and whether this method of nitrogen capture from wastewater is a suitable replacement of the costly Haber-Bosch process.

Black Wattle (Acacia mearnsii) Condensed Tannins as Feed Additives to Lactating Dairy Cows

Simple SummaryPlant compounds such as condensed tannins can be used to modulate ruminal fermentation, and to improve feed utilization and the final product quality in dairy cattle. In this study, we evaluated the inclusion of condensed tannins from Black Wattle (Acacia mearnsii) at levels up to 2% of the dry matter in the diets of dairy cows and its effects on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, milk production and composition. Condensed tannin inclusion in the diets did not affect feed or nutrient intake. Digestibility of diet dry matter and neutral detergent fiber was highest at inclusion levels of 1.22% and 1.14%, respectively. There was no effect of tannin inclusion on milk production; however, there was a reduction in milk casein concentration.The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of five levels of condensed tannins (CT) from black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) in the diets of lactating dairy cows on intake, nutrient digestibility, ruminal microbial protein synthesis, milk production, composition, oxidative profile, and blood metabolites. Five Holstein cows (88 ± 26.8 days in milk) were allocated in a 5 x 5 Latin square design for a period of 20 days (14 days of diet adaptation and six for sampling). Treatments were the inclusion levels of CT at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 g/kg of dry matter (DM) in the diet. There was no effect of CT on DM intake. The digestibility of DM and neutral detergent fiber changed quadratically, with the maximum values at 12.2 and 11.4 g/kg of DM, respectively. There was no effect on ruminal microbial protein synthesis and milk production; however, milk casein concentration was reduced linearly. There was no effect on the milk oxidative profile. Inclusion of CT at levels up to 20 g/kg of DM did not affect intake or microbial protein synthesis; however, added CT depressed the production of energy corrected milk and milk casein concentration.

The effect of accessibility and value addition on the costs of controlling invasive alien plants in South Africa: A three-species system dynamics model in the fynbos and grassland biomes

We developed a two-biome (grasslands and fynbos) system dynamics model simulating invasions of three invasive alien plant species – black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) and two pine species (Pinus patula and Pinus pinaster) – and some of the consequences. The model considers three components: invasion dynamics; revenue from the sale of woody products derived from clearing invasive alien plants; and a coefficient that models the effect of increased accessibility to invaded areas. The model shows that increasing the returns on value added products (VAPs) from invasive alien plants (IAPs) by between 70% and 130% results in positive nett present values (NPVs) of R2.7 million for P. patula, R151.7 million for P. pinaster and R115.9 million for A. mearnsii (1996 base year). At the same time, the invasion of these species is reduced dramatically by 2025. The results show that there is much scope, and indeed a clear requirement, for improved returns on investment from harvesting these species through increasing the returns from VAPs. However, accessibility to invaded areas would need to be increased for positive nett gains in water yields and other returns to be maximised.

Fire differentially affects mortality and seedling regeneration of three woody invaders in forest–grassland mosaics of the southern Western Ghats, India

Invasion by exotic woody species is a major concern in grasslands worldwide. Woody invasions pose a particularly serious threat to forest–grassland mosaics globally, but the factors influencing the success of woody species in these systems, including the role of disturbances such as fire, are not well understood. In this study, we evaluated the role of fire in influencing mortality and regeneration success of three globally widespread woody invasives, Acacia mearnsii (black wattle), Cytisus scoparius (scotch broom) and Ulex europaeus (gorse) in the montane forest–grassland mosaics of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, India. Our results indicate that mortality and regeneration responses to fire are species-specific. Fire-induced adult mortality was highest in scotch broom and lowest in gorse, and high, but variable in wattle. Burning greatly increased the abundance of gorse and wattle seedlings, but only marginally increased scotch broom seedling abundance. Fire effects on invasive seedling densities were most pronounced at the edges of invasive patches. Overall, our results indicate that fires are likely to differentially affect invasion patterns of these three species, with fire potentially encouraging invasion by gorse and wattle and discouraging invasion by scotch broom.

Colored anodizing of titanium with pyroligneous solutions of black wattle

In many places, charcoal production, using Australian Blackwood, is still a rudimentary process, generating huge environmental impact, due to the release of pyrolysis smoke into the atmosphere. Both the society and governmental agencies is pushing the factories to condense the smoke, generating byproduct known as pyroligneous liquor. Although it's largely used for agricultural purpose, as a fertilizer and phytosanitizer, its chemical composition presents hydrogen and oxygen rich compounds, making it a potential electrolyte in the surface treatment industry, especially for anodization. Organic alternatives are being used to replace these electrolytes to make the anodizing process cleaner. Then, for the first time, Australian Blackwood pyroligneous liquor was used as an anodizing electrolyte for titanium TICP-G2, to obtain oxides for protection and coloring of the metal. For such, suitable parameters to execute the process were determined (dilution, current density, temperature, agitation, pH, conductivity) and an analysis of the transient potential over time was made. The anodized surfaces were characterized using top view Scan Electronic Microscopy (SEM) and Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction (GIXRD). Based on the results presented, it can be concluded that the best parameters to anodize the titanium were obtained with 50% pyroligneous liquor diluted in water, obtaining colored surfaces and promoting the formation of oxide crystallites clusters mainly in longer process times (3600s). Keywords: Pyroligneous liquor, Titanium, Anodizing.

Efeito de IBAe de rizobactéria no enraizamento de miniestacas de Acácia negra

Black wattle is a forest species of great economic importance in the southern of Brazil. Researches for vegetative propagation methods to constitute clonal forests are effective to increase forest productivity. The goal of this work was to evaluate the action of compounds of root promotion in minicuttings of Acacia mearnsii as an alternative to vegetative propagation to the species. The experiment was conducted in July/2018 (winter season), with one negative control, two concentrations of indole butyric acid – IBA (2000 and 4000 mg L-1) and two concentrations of AzoTotal™ (100% e 50%), an inoculant containing Azospirillum brasilense bacterium. In the IBA treatments, the base of minicuttings remained immersed in hydroalcoholic solution 50% for 10 seconds and for the inoculant treatments during 15 minutes. The experiment took place in a greenhouse and after 45 days they were evaluated: the percentage of rooted minicutting; number of roots per minicutting; length of the three largest roots per minicutting; percentage of minicuttings with calluses; percentage of minicuttings survival; percentage of minicutting with budding and percentage of minicutting that kept the leaflets. There was significant difference between treatments considering rooted minicuttings, number of roots by minicutting, length of the three largest roots by minicutting, and there were not observed differences to the other variables analyzed. The use of IBA was more effective for the vegetative propagation process in this species.

RATIONAL VOLUMETRIC MODELS: TESTED IN FOREST STANDS OF Acacia mearnsii DE WILD IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL

ABSTRACT Tree volumes can alternatively be obtained by ratio estimates, instead of applying linear regression modeling. An interesting question was considered by the authors when comparing the precision of tree volumes obtained by these two statistical approaches, that allowed us to formulate a new hypothesis to conduct this study: “Is it possible to obtain better volume estimates if the form factor is associated only to the exponent of the independent variable that presents higher correlation with the stem volume?”. The research was conducted in commercial stands of black wattle (Acacia mearnsii De Wild) in the municipalities of Cristal, Encruzilhada do Sul and Piratini to answer this question. Forest stands were sampled in a sequence of ages after planting, varying from 1 to 14 years. In each forest stand, trees were felled, and the following characteristics were evaluated: diameter at breast height, total height, and stem scaling. The three age groups were specified according to the behavior of the form factor values. It was proposed three models to be solved by ratio estimates. A comparison of the proposed models with the Schumacher-Hall model, fitted by regression analysis, was done. The model in which the form factor was associated to the exponent of the diameter variable produced the best results, owing to a powerful correlation resulted of this confounding with volume as a dependent variable. Ratio estimates resulted in more accurate tree volumes predominantly, when compared with those obtained by the traditional Schumacher-Hall model fitted through regression analysis. Therefore, we recommend the application of model 2 fitted by ratio estimate.

Características físico-hídricas de substratos formulados com lodo de esgoto na produção de mudas de acácia-negra

Avaliou-se o efeito da retenção de água de substratos para plantas formulados a partir de diferentes proporções de lodo de esgoto (LETE) solarizado, na produção de mudas de acácia-negra (Acacia mearnsii). O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação e no Laboratório de Física do Solo da Embrapa Clima Temperado. O LETE utilizado foi coletado em leitos de secagem de uma Estação de Tratamento de Esgoto aeróbio de Rio Grande - RS. Os tratamentos consistiram de cinco doses de LETE solarizado, combinadas com cinza de casca de arroz e vermiculita em diferentes proporções (20:40:40, 30:35:35, 40:30:30, 50:25:25 e 60:20:20) e dois substratos comerciais (Beifort® S10 B e Mec Plant®). O delineamento experimental foi de blocos casualizados. Foram avaliadas as características físico-hídricas: água facilmente disponível, água tamponante, água remanescente e capacidade de retenção de água. As variáveis de crescimento avaliadas foram: massa fresca da parte aérea e do sistema radicular. O substrato com 20% de LETE solarizado, 40% vermiculita e 40% cinza de casca de arroz apresentou a melhor condição físico-hídrica para o desenvolvimento de mudas de acácia-negra.

Rhizobial inoculation in black wattle plantation (Acacia mearnsii De Wild.) in production systems of southern Brazil.

Black wattle (Acacia mearnsii De Wild.) is a tree legume native to southeast Australia, but present in all continents. Today it covers about 142,400ha in Brazil, with plantations concentrated in the southern region of the country. Black wattle may form nodules and establish rhizobial symbiosis capable of fixing N2, but rhizobial inoculation is not done in commercial plantations. About 40kgha-1 of urea is applied during seedling transplantation. In this review, evidences by which rhizobial inoculation affects monoculture, mixed cultivation, and agroforestry black wattle production systems were searched in literature. Previous measurements in cultivated forests have indicated that biological nitrogen fixation in black wattle may provide up to 200kg of N ha-1year-1 to the soil. Therefore, rhizobia inoculation may bring several opportunities to improve black wattle production systems. Black wattle is not a very selective partner in the rhizobial symbiosis, but the genus Bradyrhizobium dominates the rhizobial diversity of black wattle nodules. Investigation on rhizobial diversity in soils where the crop is cultivated may represent an opportunity to find more effective rhizobia strains for inoculants. The successful history of biological nitrogen fixation in grain legumes must inspire the history of tree legumes. Microbiology applied to forestry must overcome challenges on the lack of trained professionals and the development of new application technologies.