Biological Nitrogen Fixation Potential Research Articles

Assessment of legume species for biological nitrogen fixation potential in smallholder farming systems of Kiambu County, Kenya: A participatory approach

This study examined the Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) potential of various legume species in Limuru, Kiambu County, Kenya, focusing on smallholder mixed crop-livestock farmers. Nitrogen is vital to plant growth, particularly for protein synthesis and photosynthesis. Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), a process by which legumes transform atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form, increases soil fertility and decreases synthetic fertilisers need. The problem addressed was identifying the most effective legumes for improving soil fertility in this region. Using purposive sampling, community-based organisations (CBOs) participated in focus group discussions, where farmers planted experimental plots, collected soil samples, and counted nodules. Destructive sampling was employed during flowering to assess nodulation, with nodules classified based on their ability to fix nitrogen. Results showed Rose coco beans ranked highest due to their efficient nitrogen fixation and adaptability to varying soils and temperatures, followed by Albus lupin and Black and White faba beans. Desmodium also demonstrated persistent nodulation, while indigenous Kienyeji legumes, though less efficient, improved soil fertility. Garden peas, cowpeas, and green grams had lower nitrogen-fixing performance in Limuru's cool, humid climate. This study concludes that Rose coco beans and Albus lupins are highly suitable for improving soil fertility in the region. Participatory methods strengthened farmers' knowledge of sustainable agriculture, and qualitative data highlighted the practical value of BNF legumes. Future research should expand legume trials and explore the use of rhizobia inoculants to further enhance BNF efficiency, supporting long-term agricultural sustainability.

Biological nitrogen fixation potential of pea lines derived from crosses with nodulation mutants

The process of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) through nodules of legumes benefits soil fertility, increases crop productivity and reduces the requirement for chemical fertilizers. Pea is an important pulse crop in temperate regions of the world. The N fixation capacity of pea in Canadian environments ranges from 50% to 55% of crop N requirement. Nodulation mutants in pea have been developed but not evaluated in a breeding program. To determine the potential of 20 pea lines derived from crosses between two nodulation mutants (Rondo nod3 and Frisson P88 Sym29 ) and Saskatchewan adapted pea cultivars CDC Meadow and CDC Dakota, for BNF and agronomic performance. Pea lines were evaluated in replicated multi-location field trials. In four of the trials, a 15 N isotope treatment was applied two weeks after planting to estimate the percentage of N derived from air (%Ndfa) using the 15 N isotope dilution protocol. Additionally, standard agronomic assessments for pea were collected from each plot, as well as grain yield and seed protein concentration. Biological N fixation capacity of the pea lines ranged from 50% to 80%. Several of the pea lines performed significantly better than the check cultivars CDC Meadow and CDC Dakota for yield, percentage protein and BNF capacity. Pea lines, especially those arising from crosses with CDC Dakota, had on average 10% more seed yield, 2–3% more seed protein, and fixed 5% more N than CDC Meadow and CDC Dakota. The %Ndfa showed moderately high and significantly positive correlation with days to flowering (r = 0.47, p < 0.01), days to maturity (r = 0.56, p < 0.01) and seed protein concentration (r = 0.51, p < 0.01). The ability of tested pea lines to produce high grain yield along with higher N fixation potential and seed protein concentration makes them attractive for use in pea breeding programs. This research opens the potential for breeding pea for improved N fixation which will have positive implications for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in a cereal-oilseed-pulse crop rotation. • 20 pea lines were generated by crossing pea nodulation mutants and pea cultivars. • 20 pea lines were evaluated for nitrogen fixation and agronomic performance. • Multiple pea lines performed significantly better than checks for evaluated traits. • Pea lines had 10% more yield, 2–3% more protein, and fixed 5% more N than checks. • N fixation showed positive correlation with phenological traits and seed protein.

How can we possibly resolve the planet's nitrogen dilemma?

Nitrogen is the most crucial element in the production of nutritious feeds and foods. The production of reactive nitrogen by means of fossil fuel has thus far been able to guarantee the protein supply for the world population. Yet, the production and massive use of fertilizer nitrogen constitute a major threat in terms of environmental health and sustainability. It is crucial to promote consumer acceptance and awareness towards proteins produced by highly effective microorganisms, and their potential to replace proteins obtained with poor nitrogen efficiencies from plants and animals. The fact that reactive fertilizer nitrogen, produced by the Haber Bosch process, consumes a significant amount of fossil fuel worldwide is of concern. Moreover, recently, the prices of fossil fuels have increased the cost of reactive nitrogen by a factor of 3 to 5 times, while international policies are fostering the transition towards a more sustainable agro-ecology by reducing mineral fertilizers inputs and increasing organic farming. The combination of these pressures and challenges opens opportunities to use the reactive nitrogen nutrient more carefully. Time has come to effectively recover used nitrogen from secondary resources and to upgrade it to a legal status of fertilizer. Organic nitrogen is a slow-release fertilizer, it has a factor of 2.5 or higher economic value per unit nitrogen as fertilizer and thus adequate technologies to produce it, for instance by implementing photobiological processes, are promising. Finally, it appears wise to start the integration in our overall feed and food supply chains of the exceptional potential of biological nitrogen fixation. Nitrogen produced by the nitrogenase enzyme, either in the soil or in novel biotechnology reactor systems, deserves to have a 'renaissance' in the context of planetary governance in general and the increasing number of people who desire to be fed in a sustainable way in particular.

Selection and characterization of Spanish Trifolium-nodulating rhizobia for pasture inoculation

Identification of elite nitrogen-fixing rhizobia strains is a continuous and never ending effort, since new legume species can be cultivated in different agro systems or are introduced into new areas. This current study reports on the taxonomic affiliation and symbiotic proficiency of nine strains of Trifolium-nodulating rhizobia isolated from different pasture areas in Spain, as well as three Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii reference strains, on eleven Trifolium species. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequences the strains belonged to the R. leguminosarum species complex. Additional phylogenetic analyses of the housekeeping genes recA, atpD and rpoB showed the strains were closely related to the species R. leguminosarum, R. laguerreae, R. indicum, R. ruizarguesonis or R. acidisoli. In addition, three strains had no clear affiliation and could represent putative new species, although two of the reference strains were positioned close to R. ruizarguesonis. nodC gene phylogeny allowed the discrimination between strains isolated from annual or perennial Trifolium species and placed all of them in the symbiovar trifolii. Neither geographic origin nor host-plant species could be correlated with the taxonomic affiliation of the strains and a high degree of phenotypic diversity was found among this set of strains. The strong interaction of plant species with the rhizobial strains found for biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) was noteworthy, and allowed the identification of rhizobial strains with a maximum proficiency for certain trefoil species. Several strains showed high BNF potential with a wide range of clover species, which made them valuable strains for inoculant manufacturers and they would be particularly useful for inoculation of seed mixtures in natural or cultivated pastures.

Enabling Biological Nitrogen Fixation for Cereal Crops in Fertilized Fields.

Agricultural productivity relies on synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, yet half of that reactive nitrogen is lost to the environment. There is an urgent need for alternative nitrogen solutions to reduce the water pollution, ozone depletion, atmospheric particulate formation, and global greenhouse gas emissions associated with synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use. One such solution is biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), a component of the complex natural nitrogen cycle. BNF application to commercial agriculture is currently limited by fertilizer use and plant type. This paper describes the identification, development, and deployment of the first microbial product optimized using synthetic biology tools to enable BNF for corn (Zea mays) in fertilized fields, demonstrating the successful, safe commercialization of root-associated diazotrophs and realizing the potential of BNF to replace and reduce synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use in production agriculture. Derived from a wild nitrogen-fixing microbe isolated from agricultural soils, Klebsiella variicola 137-1036 ("Kv137-1036") retains the capacity of the parent strain to colonize corn roots while increasing nitrogen fixation activity 122-fold in nitrogen-rich environments. This technical milestone was then commercialized in less than half of the time of a traditional biological product, with robust biosafety evaluations and product formulations contributing to consumer confidence and ease of use. Tested in multi-year, multi-site field trial experiments throughout the U.S. Corn Belt, fields grown with Kv137-1036 exhibited both higher yields (0.35 ± 0.092 t/ha ± SE or 5.2 ± 1.4 bushels/acre ± SE) and reduced within-field yield variance by 25% in 2018 and 8% in 2019 compared to fields fertilized with synthetic nitrogen fertilizers alone. These results demonstrate the capacity of a broad-acre BNF product to fix nitrogen for corn in field conditions with reliable agronomic benefits.

BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN FIXATION STABILITY OF COWPEA CULTIVARS WITH TROPICAL SEMI-ARID RHIZOBIAL STRAINS

ABSTRACT Cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) are an economically and socially important legume in northern and north-eastern Brazil and can establish effective symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. We evaluated the symbiotic compatibility and efficiency of rhizobial strains from Pernambuco semi-arid soils and determined their symbiotic stability on the IPA-206, BR 17-Gurguéia, and BRS Novaera cultivars, selected for different environments. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse to evaluate a 3 × 28 factorial arrangement (cultivars selected for different environments × inoculation with the currently recommended strain, uninoculated plants with or without mineral nitrogen, and 25 rhizobial strains from semi-arid soils) in a randomized block design with four replicates. We determined nodule number, shoot and root dry matter, nodule dry matter by nodule number, nitrogen accumulated in the shoot by nodule dry matter, nitrogen content and accumulation in the shoot, relative efficiency of the recommended strain based on nitrogen accumulation, and shoot dry matter. Overall, the cultivars responded differently to different strains and cultivar biological nitrogen fixation potential. Strains G7.85 and BR 3262 showed potential for biological nitrogen fixation. BR 3262 was confirmed to be adequate for inoculation of different cowpea cultivars.

Forage production and quality of tropical forage legumes submitted to shading

ABSTRACT: Find shade-tolerant species is essential to the success of silvopastoral systems, increasingly frequent in recent years. In legumes, which have potential of biological nitrogen fixation, there is a great lack of knowledge when in shaded environments.The cultivation of four tropical forage (Neonotonia wightii, Pueraria phaseoloides, Macrotyloma axilare and Arachis pintoi) was evaluated when submitted to artificial shade levels (30, 50 and 70% shade) and in full sun during water and drought seasons. The design used was in randomized complete blocks in a sub-divided plot scheme with four replications. In the Water-season the Forage Peanuts had higher forage production in full sun (11 ton ha-1 DM), and under shade did not differ from Perennial Soybean, higher than the others in all levels of shade. In Drought-season the forage production was 61% lower than in Water-season. The highest crude protein levels were reported in Forage Peanuts, Tropical Kudzu and Perennial Soybean, 19.0; 18.3 and 18.2% respectively in the Water-season. Forage Peanuts is a good option for use in silvopastoral systems although there is a small reduction in forage production (average of 23.7%). In general, species of fabaceae showed a greater reduction in forage production in the period of water deficit; however, shading at levels of 30% to 50% contribute to mitigation of water shortage. Although, there is a small reduction in forage production, withexception of perennial soybeans in dry season, it is advisable to use tropical forage legumes in silvopastoral systems, since forage quality is not affected by shade.

Growth, morphology and biological nitrogen fixation potential of perennial ryegrass-white clover swards throughout the grazing season

AbstractSustainable ruminant production systems depend on the ability of livestock to utilize increased quantities of grazed herbage. The current study aimed to compare the effect of white clover (WC) inclusion and perennial ryegrass (PRG) ploidy on herbage dry matter (DM) production, plant morphology, nutritive value and biological nitrogen (N) fixation (BNF) under high N fertilizer use (250 kg N/ha) and high stocking rates (2.75 livestock units/ha). Four sward treatments (diploid-only, tetraploid-only, diploid-WC, tetraploid-WC) were evaluated over a full grazing season at a farmlet scale. White clover inclusion had a significant effect on herbage DM production, herbage growth rate, tiller density, organic matter digestibility, crude protein and BNF. Tetraploid swards had a lower tiller density, lower sward WC content and post-grazing sward height and increased organic matter digestibility and crude protein than diploid swards. White clover inclusion improved herbage DM production and nutritive value across a full grazing season, with tetraploid and diploid swards producing similar herbage DM yields across the year. Perennial ryegrass ploidy had an effect on WC morphology as plants in diploid-WC swards had narrower, longer stolons, fewer branches and more petioles than tetraploid-WC swards. The current study highlights the benefit of including WC in grass-based systems under a high N fertilizer regime and high stocking rate.

The 15N natural abundance technique to assess the potential of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in some important C4 grasses

The 15N natural abundance technique to assess the potential of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in some important C4 grasses

Comparative Analysis of the Combined Effects of Different Water and Phosphate Levels on Growth and Biological Nitrogen Fixation of Nine Cowpea Varieties.

Water deficit and phosphate (Pi) deficiency adversely affect growth and biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) of legume crops. In this study, we examined the impact of interaction between soil water conditions and available soil-Pi levels on growth, nodule development and BNF potential of nine cowpea varieties grown on dry savanna soils. In our experimental design, soils with different available soil-Pi levels, i.e., low, moderate, and high soil-Pi levels, collected from various farming fields were used to grow nine cowpea varieties under well-watered and water-deficit conditions. Significant and severe water deficit-damaging effects on BNF, nodulation, growth, levels of plant-nitrogen (N) and -phosphorus (P), as well as shoot relative water content and chlorophyll content of cowpea plants were observed. Under well-watered and high available soil-Pi conditions, cowpea varieties IT07K-304-9 and Dan'Ila exhibited significantly higher BNF potential and dry biomass, as well as plant-N and -P contents compared with other tested ones. Significant genotypic variations among the cowpeas were recorded under low available soil-Pi and water-deficit conditions in terms of the BNF potential. Principal component (PC) analysis revealed that varieties IT04K-339-1, IT07K-188-49, IT07K-304-9, and IT04K-405-5 were associated with PC1, which was better explained by performance for nodulation, plant biomass, plant-N, plant-P, and BNF potential under the combined stress of water deficit and Pi deficiency, thereby offering prospects for development of varieties with high growth and BNF traits that are adaptive to such stress conditions in the region. On another hand, variety Dan'Ila was significantly related to PC2 that was highly explained by the plant shoot/root ratio and chlorophyll content, suggesting the existence of physiological and morphological adjustments to cope with water deficit and Pi deficiency for this particular variety. Additionally, increases in soil-Pi availability led to significant reductions of water-deficit damage on dry biomass, plant-N and -P contents, and BNF potential of cowpea varieties. This finding suggests that integrated nutrient management strategies that allow farmers to access to Pi-based fertilizers may help reduce the damage of adverse water deficit and Pi deficiency caused to cowpea crop in the regions, where soils are predominantly Pi-deficient and drought-prone.

A Comparative Nitrogen Balance and Productivity Analysis of Legume and Non-legume Supported Cropping Systems: The Potential Role of Biological Nitrogen Fixation.

The potential of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) to provide sufficient N for production has encouraged re-appraisal of cropping systems that deploy legumes. It has been argued that legume-derived N can maintain productivity as an alternative to the application of mineral fertilizer, although few studies have systematically evaluated the effect of optimizing the balance between legumes and non N-fixing crops to optimize production. In addition, the shortage, or even absence in some regions, of measurements of BNF in crops and forages severely limits the ability to design and evaluate new legume–based agroecosystems. To provide an indication of the magnitude of BNF in European agriculture, a soil-surface N-balance approach was applied to historical data from 8 experimental cropping systems that compared legume and non-legume crop types (e.g., grains, forages and intercrops) across pedoclimatic regions of Europe. Mean BNF for different legume types ranged from 32 to 115 kg ha−1 annually. Output in terms of total biomass (grain, forage, etc.) was 30% greater in non-legumes, which used N to produce dry matter more efficiently than legumes, whereas output of N was greater from legumes. When examined over the crop sequence, the contribution of BNF to the N-balance increased to reach a maximum when the legume fraction was around 0.5 (legume crops were present in half the years). BNF was lower when the legume fraction increased to 0.6–0.8, not because of any feature of the legume, but because the cropping systems in this range were dominated by mixtures of legume and non-legume forages to which inorganic N as fertilizer was normally applied. Forage (e.g., grass and clover), as opposed to grain crops in this range maintained high outputs of biomass and N. In conclusion, BNF through grain and forage legumes has the potential to generate major benefit in terms of reducing or dispensing with the need for mineral N without loss of total output.

English

The growth of tree legumes in degraded areas must be preceded by assessments of nodulation ability of naturally established rhizobia populations since such information contributes to defining the species which can be planted for recovering disturbed areas. The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth and natural nodulation of “sabia” (Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth.) and leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit.) in soils of the Brazilian semiarid area under different systems of land use: native vegetation (locally called caatinga) and areas with different agricultural systems (a monocrop system and an intercropping with various species). For each species, a greenhouse experiment in randomized block design was realized, using soils of different types (Luvisol and Ultisol), with 4 replicates. The results evidentiate significant differences in the evaluated growth characteristics (height, leaflet number and shoot diameter) of M. caesalpiniifolia, that have displayed lower plant growth when cultivated in the Luvisol under conventional system. Plant growth, nodulation and total N accumulation in both seedling tree legumes increased in Ultisol under the different systems of land use. L. leucocephala showed higher potential of biological nitrogen fixation and nodulation effectiveness promoted by indigenous rhizobia. Key words: Biological nitrogen fixation, indigenous rhizobia, symbiosis, sustainable agriculture.

Evaluation of early maturing cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) germplasm for variation in phosphorus use efficiency and biological nitrogen fixation potential with indigenous rhizobial populations

SUMMARYCowpea genotypes that efficiently utilize phosphorus (P) with high potential for biological nitrogen (N) fixation (BNF) are vital to sustainable cropping systems in West Africa. A total of 175 early maturing cowpea genotypes were evaluated in 2010 and 2011 for P use efficiency (PUE) and BNF with an indigenous rhizobial population at Shika in the Northern Guinea savanna of Nigeria. There were significant genotypic variations for all 11 variables measured. The P utilization index, percentage N derived from the atmosphere and total N fixed ranged between 2·10–4·67, 31·3–61·86% and 11·86–50 kg/ha, respectively. The 175 early maturing cowpea genotypes were divided into five categories using principal component analysis (PCA), whereby total N fixed was associated with N and P uptake and plant biomass yield. Complete linkage cluster analysis revealed a total of three distinctive clusters having remarkable correspondence with the PCA. Some genotypes were identified as potential candidates for further breeding programmes using high PUE genotypes with relatively high capacity for BNF and indigenous rhizobial populations.

Assessment of nifH diversity in rhizobial isolates of different origin and the role of antioxidant in respiratory protection

Rhizobia diversity is considered as one of the most useful resources for bioprospecting due to their symbiotic nitrogen-fixing ability with members of Leguminosae. The highly conserved nature of the nitrogenase reductase gene (nifH) makes it an ideal molecular tool to determine the potential for biological nitrogen fixation in any environment. In the present investigation, 250 rhizobial strains were isolated from legumes belonging to different geographical locations of Chhattisgarh, India. Genetic diversity of the nitrogenfixing bacterial community was analyzed using the nifH gene-specific primer. The polymorphism was found among the nitrogen-fixing population of different sources and origin but not in same source of rhizobia. Further, the symbiotic plasmid DNA was characterized on the basis of size and copy number of plasmids. The plasmid number varying from one to three in different rhizobial isolates had a size greater than 23 kb, while in some rhizobial isolates plasmids were absent. In addition, to examine the role of ascorbate in respiratory protection, the clear black spot margin of ascorbate was observed in the endodermis region of the nodule whereas scarcely dispersed in the infected region. Therefore, our findings demonstrated that knowing the rhizobial nifH gene diversity along with copy number of the plasmid is important for strain identification, deciding its fertility, productivity standards, and potential of biological nitrogen fixation across the geographical region.

Exopolysaccharides produced by the symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria of leguminosae

The process of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), performed by symbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria with legume species, commonly known as α and β rhizobia, provides high sustainability for the ecosystems. Its management as a biotechnology is well succeeded for improving crop yields. A remarkable example of this success is the inoculation of Brazilian soybeans with Bradyrhizobium strains. Rhizobia produce a wide diversity of chemical structures of exopolysaccharides (EPS). Although the role of EPS is relatively well studied in the process of BNF, their economic and environmental potential is not yet explored. These EPS are mostly species-specific heteropolysaccharides, which can vary according to the composition of sugars, their linkages in a single subunit, the repeating unit size and the degree of polymerization. Studies have showed that the EPS produced by rhizobia play an important role in the invasion process, infection threads formation, bacteroid and nodule development and plant defense response. These EPS also confer protection to these bacteria when exposed to environmental stresses. In general, strains of rhizobia that produce greater amounts of EPS are more tolerant to adverse conditions when compared with strains that produce less. Moreover, it is known that the EPS produced by microorganisms are widely used in various industrial activities. These compounds, also called biopolymers, provide a valid alternative for the commonly used in food industry through the development of products with identical properties or with better rheological characteristics, which can be used for new applications. The microbial EPS are also able to increase the adhesion of soil particles favoring the mechanical stability of aggregates, increasing levels of water retention and air flows in this environment. Due to the importance of EPS, in this review we discuss the role of these compounds in the process of BNF, in the adaptation of rhizobia to environmental stresses and in the process of soil aggregation. The possible applications of these biopolymers in industry are also discussed.

Nitrogen fixation potential in global chickpea mini-core collection

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is a sustainable alternative for nitrogen supply to agriculture worldwide. One approach to increasing BNF in agriculture is to breed and use legumes with greater BNF capacity. To assess the capacity for BNF in chickpea (Cicer arietinum) global germplasm, a genetically diverse subset from the USDA global chickpea core collection was assayed for BNF potential. The greenhouse experiment assayed 39 global accessions and commercial cultivar UC-5, inoculated with Mesorhizobium ciceri. Plant height, branch number, nodule number, shoot weight, root weight, nodule weight, proportion of nitrogen fixed, and total nitrogen fixation were determined. All characteristics varied significantly among the accessions. Proportion of plant nitrogen fixed ranged from 47% to 78% and was correlated with shoot weight (r = 0.21, P < 0.01) and total plant weight (r = 0.20, P < 0.01), but not with nodule number or weight. Accession 254549 from Iraq produced the greatest total fixed nitrogen, more than any other accession and 121% more than that fixed by UC-5. The variation among BNF capacities of the accessions supports the preservation and use of global germplasm resources and suggests that nitrogen fixation in commercial chickpea varieties may be improved by introgressing positive alleles from the global chickpea germplasm collections.

Fixação biológica e transferência de nitrogênio por leguminosas em pomar orgânico de mangueira e gravioleira

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a fixação biológica de nitrogênio (FBN) e a transferência do N derivado da FBN das espécies leguminosas - gliricídia (Gliricidia sepium), crotalária (Crotalaria juncea) e feijão-guandu anão (Cajanus cajan) - para um pomar orgânico de mangueira e gravioleira, pelo método da abundância natural de N. Foram avaliados os seguintes sistemas de cultivos consorciados: mangueira e gravioleira com gliricídia; mangueira e gravioleira com crotalária; mangueira e gravioleira com feijão-guandu; e a testemunha mangueira e gravioleira. Agliricídia apresentou maior potencial de FBN (80%), seguida da crotalária (64,5%) e feijão-guandu (45%). Em dois cortes, a crotalária forneceu 149,5 kg ha-1 por ano de N, com 96,5kg derivados da FBN. A gliricídia com três podas anuais forneceu 56,4 e 80,3 kg ha-1 por ano de N, com 45 e 64 kg derivados da FBN, em dois anos consecutivos. A quantidade de N fornecida foi superior à demandada pela mangueira e gravioleira. Variações na abundância natural de 15N foram detectadas somente na gravioleira. Gliricídia e crotalária destacaram-se na transferência de N, com cerca de 22,5 e 40% do N fixado, respectivamente. A adubação verde com gliricídia possibilita o parcelamento do N, com melhor aproveitamento pelas espécies frutíferas.

Biological nitrogen fixation potential by soybeans in two low-P soils of southern Cameroon

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) potential of 12 soybean genotypes was evaluated in conditions of low and sufficient phosphorus (P) supply in two acid soils of southern Cameroon. The P sources were phosphate rock (PR) and triple superphosphate (TSP). The experiment was carried out during two consecutive years (2001 and 2002) at two locations with different soil types. Shoot dry matter, nodule dry matter, and nitrogen (N) and P uptake were assessed at flowering and the grain yield at maturity. Shoot dry matter, nodule dry matter, N and P uptake, and grain yield varied significantly with site and genotypes (P < 0.05). On Typic Kandiudult soil, nodule dry matter ranged from 0.3 to 99.3 mg plant−1 and increased significantly with P application (P < 0.05). Total N uptake of soybean ranged from 38.3 to 60.1 kg N ha−1 on Typic Kandiudult and from 18 to 33 kg N ha−1 on Rhodic Kandiudult soil. Under P-limiting conditions, BNF ranged from −5.8 to 16 kg N ha−1 with significantly higher values for genotype TGm 1511 irrespective of soil type. Genotype TGm 1511 can be considered as an important companion crop for the development of smallholder agriculture in southern Cameroon.

Microrganismos endofíticos de mandioca de áreas comerciais e etnovariedades em três estados brasileiros

O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar um levantamento da diversidade de microrganismos endofíticos, em plantas de mandioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz) coletadas de áreas comerciais, no Estado de São Paulo, e de etnovariedades dos estados do Amazonas e Bahia e, também, avaliar seu potencial para fixar N atmosférico e para produzir ácido indolacético. Nos três estados, foram identificadas 47 espécies de microrganismos pertencentes a 27 gêneros. Bacillus spp. foi o mais freqüente em todas as regiões. O maior número de gêneros foi encontrado em plantas provenientes do Estado do Amazonas, que apresenta a maior diversidade de microrganismos endofíticos. Amplificações por PCR do gene nifH foram avaliadas em espécies bacterianas pertencentes às gama-Proteobacteria. Isolados AIA positivos foram obtidos de material coletado em todos os estados, e foram representados por microrganismos pertencentes aos subgrupos gama-Proteobacteria, beta-Proteobacteria, Bacilli e Actinobacteria. A ocorrência de bactérias endofíticas em plantas de mandioca, com capacidade para fixar N atmosférico e produzir AIA in vitro, indica potencial para promover o crescimento da planta.

On-farm Evaluation of Biological Nitrogen Fixation Potential and Grain Yield of Lablab and Two Soybean Varieties in the Northern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria

Several legumes with high biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) potentials have been studied in on-station trials. The processes involved in BNF and the benefits of these species to crop production need to be evaluated using farmers' management practices in farmers' fields. An on-farm trial with 20 farmers was conducted in the northern Guinea savanna (NGS) of Nigeria. The aims were to evaluate the BNF potentials of an improved soybean variety (TGx 1448-2E) and a local variety (Samsoy-2) when inoculated with Bradyrhizobium strains, and of Lablab in farmer-managed and researcher-managed soybean-maize and Lablab-maize crop rotation systems. The level of soil P was generally low with more than 50% of the fields having less than the critical P level. The plant available P content was statistically significantly (P = 0.05) correlated with P in grain (r = 0.60), P in the shoot (r = 0.68), grain yield (r = 0.40) and nodule weight (r = 0.35). Variations in plant parameters (nodulation, shoot dry matter, percentage nitrogen derived from the air [%Ndfa], grain yield, and nutrient uptake) among and within farmers’ fields were attributed to differences in soil fertility and crop management. About 60% of the fields were moderately fertile, sufficient to support legume establishment, while about 30% of the farmers' fields had a low fertility level. For farmers in the study area to benefit from the BNF potentials of the legumes, an external P fertilizer input was necessary as well as suitable crop management practices because all parameters measured in the researcher-managed plots were higher than in the farmer-managed plots.