An improved low-input method for establishing calliandra hedgerows on small-scale farms in western Kenya

Direct seeding methods for nitrogen (N)-fixing tree-legumes by small-scale farmers were developed and studied in humid and sub-humid areas of western Kenya. We focused on the first six months of establishment of calliandra (Calliandra calothyrsus Meissner) multipurpose hedgerows. Direct seeding became effective, reliable, and significantly better than for zero-control treatments when improving A) water uptake by scratching the hard seeds with a sandal against a hard, rough surface, B) phosphorus (P) nutrition by mixing 150 g/m of kitchen wood-ash (1.3% P) into a 10 cm deep, 20 wide cm soil band 5 cm below the seeds, and C) root nodulation by transferring 100 g/m Rhizobium-colonised soil, or 0.5 crushed, incubated nodule, from a calliandra hedge. The field germination was 90% after two weeks, and the hedges were green and about 2 m tall in the dry season six months later. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

供钼水平对4株柱花草根瘤菌生长的影响

为研究不同钼水平对柱花草根瘤菌生长的影响,将4株柱花草根瘤菌接种于不同钼浓度的YMA固体和液体培养基上,通过对根瘤菌生长定性和定量分析,确定不同钼处理对根瘤菌的影响。结果表明:缺钼处理对4株根瘤菌的生长均无显著影响;在钼处理下,4个菌株对钼的耐受能力存在差异,菌株PN13-3的耐钼能力最强,可以耐受的钼浓度为3 000 mg/L,LZ3-2和YM11-1次之,RJS9-2最差,可以耐受的钼浓度为1 500 mg/L;高浓度钼处理使菌株PN13-3、YM11-1(≥2 000 mg/L)和LZ3-2(≥2 500 mg/L)的对数生长期延长,稳定生长期缩短,使菌株RJS9-2(≥500 mg/L)迟缓期延长,对数生长期缩短。     

根瘤菌和复合促生菌对大豆结瘤和生长的影响

为了研究不同根瘤菌和复合促生菌单独使用及复合后对大豆结瘤和生长的影响。采用大豆单独接种2种快生大豆根瘤菌、2种慢生大豆根瘤菌及根瘤菌分别与复合促生菌交叉接种,再种植的方法,观察大豆结瘤与生长情况。结果表明:(1)大豆结荚初期大豆快生和慢生根瘤菌处理的大豆地上部鲜重、地下部鲜重、结荚数、豆荚鲜重等生物学性状显著优于其它处理;快生根瘤菌处理的大豆结瘤率显著高于其它处理,慢生根瘤菌处理的总根瘤数和根瘤重量显著高于其它处理;(2)大豆结荚后期,对照处理的地上部鲜重、根鲜重显著高于其它处理,慢生根瘤菌和复合促生菌处理的根瘤数显著高于其它处理,快生根瘤菌剂处理的大豆粗蛋白含量显著高于其它处理,而复合促生菌处理的大豆产量显著高于其它处理。虽然快生根瘤菌两处理有利于地上部、地下部、有效根瘤数、土壤碱解氮的提升,但复合促生菌处理的大豆产量、土壤速效磷和土壤有效钾都显著高于其它处理,因此表明复合促生菌处理能增加大豆产量。     

花生品种根瘤菌固氮酶活性的鉴定评价

对花生品种根瘤菌固氮酶活性进行了初步鉴定，并提出鉴定评价标准。鉴定筛选出高固氮酶活性的花生品种粤油55、粤油86和粤油20三份。     

陕西豆科植物根瘤菌资源调查

在陕西关中、陕北地区,共采集到28属59种豆科植物根瘤样品930份,分离到710株根瘤菌,其中新发现地八角(Astragalus bhotanensis Baker)、硬毛棘豆(Oxytropis hirta Bunge)、塔落岩黄耆(Hedysarum fruticosum Pall)、毛掌锦鸡儿(Caragana leveillei kom)等10种豆科植物能够结瘤.在对豆科植物的结瘤特性比较研究后发现,豆科植物根瘤大小、数量、形状、颜色、着生部位除与寄主植物种有关系外,还与其所处的生态环境有很大的关系.该调查为根瘤菌在农业生产及生态环境建设中的应用提供宝贵的种质资源.     

菌根真菌和根瘤菌接种对紫花苜蓿和无芒雀麦混播牧草生物量的影响

丛枝菌根真菌（Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi,AMF）和根瘤菌是自然界存在的两类重要的共生微生物,分别能与宿主植物形成丛枝菌根和根瘤的共生体系,对宿主植物的生长具有重要影响。本研究通过建立丛枝菌根真菌-禾本科牧草和丛枝菌根真菌-豆科牧草-根瘤菌的共生体,研究AMF和根瘤菌接种对混播中紫花苜蓿（Medicago sativa）和无芒雀麦（Bromus inermis Leyss）生长的影响。结果表明：与CK相比,单独接种根瘤菌处理下单播和混播的紫花苜蓿地上单株生物量分别提高了65.42%和53.41%,地下单株生物量提高了96.66%和114.42%。单独接种AMF处理下单播和混播的紫花苜蓿地上单株生物量分别提高了35.33%和23.20%,地下单株生物量提高了40.00%和46.45%。而AMF和根瘤菌双接种处理下单播和混播的紫花苜蓿地上单株生物量分别提高了105.66%和185.64%,地下单株生物量分别提高了167%和121%。综上所述,AMF和根瘤菌双接种对紫花苜蓿生物量的促进作用具有协同效应。     

Inoculation response in kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris,L.) to vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobia in non-sterilized soil

The effect of dual inoculation on three local cultivars (Miss Kelly, Portland Red, Round Red) of red kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris, L.) with four strains of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseoli and three species of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi was examined in a clay loam soil. Rhizobial strains B 17 and B 36, each paired with Glomus pallidum or G. aggregatum, were the most effective pairings for cv. Miss Kelly. Inoculation of Miss Kelly with any of these pairings significantly (P=0.05) increased growth, number of nodules, nodule dry weight, mycorrhizal colonization, and shoot N and P content than other pairings. The growth response by cv. Portland Red was significantly improved by pairings of B 36 or B 17 with any of the three VAM fungi. For both cultivars (Miss Kelly and Portland Red), CIAT 652 or T 2 paired with VAM fungi did not give a positive growth response. In contrast, for cv Round Red the T 2 rhizobial strain in combination with any of the three VAM fungi showed a significant (P=0.05) growth improvement in all parameters. Our results suggest that while dual inoculation of VAM fungi and rhizobia significantly improves the growth response by red kidney beans, the best pairings of VAM fungus and rhizobia for each cultivar need to be carefully selected.     

Desiccation tolerance of rhizobia when protected by synthetic polymers

Survival of rhizobia applied to the surface of legume seeds is poor due to factors such as desiccation. Poor survival of rhizobia results in poor nodulation and yield of legumes. Selecting polymeric adhesives for inoculation of legume seed with rhizobia that provide protection during desiccation may improve survival and increase the potential for maximum legume yields. Vacuum-drying cells after suspension in selected polymers proved an effective method for screening the potential of polymers to improve the desiccation tolerance of rhizobia. The effect of different polymers on survival of desiccated rhizobia could be attributed to their different chemical and physical properties. The specific protective properties of polymers have been difficult to determine due to the variation in the chemical nature of polymers often compared. In this research polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with varying degrees of hydrolysis provided a useful range of measurable physical properties against which bacterial survival could be measured. PVA with a percent hydrolysis in the range 86.5-89% was better able to protect desiccated cells of a range of rhizobial strains than polymers with higher (98.5%) or lower (78.5-82%) degrees of hydrolysis. The percent hydrolysis affected the moisture properties of PVA and survival of rhizobia was not maximised with high moisture sorption or low water activity by the polymer but rather when moisture properties were at an intermediate level. In comparison, survival was poorest in highly hygroscopic polymers methyl cellulose (MC) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP). The survival profile of desiccated rhizobia stored at different relative humidities was altered when cells were embedded in different polymers and is probably related to moisture sorption by those polymers. The percent hydrolysis also affects the extent to which PVA is able to stabilise colloids against the precipitating action of KCl. The colloid-stabilising property and survival was highest at 86.5-89% indicating that this property may be manipulated to achieve better survival. There is an indication that highly stabilising PVA may lead to more evenly dispersed cells providing more colony forming units rather than better survival. However, survival was not strongly correlated to the colloid-stabilising properties of the other polymers and was very poor after suspension in highly stabilising MC indicating a strong interaction between factors. Synthetic polymers designed to improve survival of rhizobia exposed to desiccation stress should include properties that combine high stabilisation and optimum moisture sorption properties.     

Soybean nodulation and nitrogen fixation on soil previously amended with sewage sludge

Summary A greenhouse study was conducted to examine the residual effects of sewage sludge on soybean Glycine max (L.) Merr., nodulation, and N fixation. Nodulating and nonnodulating isolines of Clark soybean were grown to the R2 stage in soils (Typic Paleudults) obtained from plots where heat-treated sludge had been applied in 1976 at rates equal to 0, 56,112, and 224 Mg ha^–1 high (7.0) and low (6.2) soil pH regimes were established by CaCO₃ additions. Sludge and soil pH treatments resulted in clearly defined differences in metal uptake by soybean shoots. Plant Zn, Cd, and Ni concentrations were greater on pH 6.2, sludge-amended soil than on the pH 7.0, amended soil. At low soil pH, soybean Zn and Cd concentrations, respectively, increased from 41 and 0.19 mg kg^–1 (control) to 120 and 0.58 mg kg^–1 at the 224 Mg hat sludge rate. At the high soil pH and 224 hg hat sludge rate, Zn and Cd concentrations were 45 and 0.15 mg kg^–1, respectively.Symbiotic N fixation provided 90% of the total N accumulation. Total N accumulation, shoot N concentration, dry matter, and N fixation by nodulating soybeans exhibited a significant linear increase with sludge rate. Total N accumulation, dry matter, and N fixation were significantly greater at high soil pH. For high and low soil pH, respectively, N fixation increased from 422 and 382 mg N per plant (control) to 614 and 518 mg N per plant at the 224 Mg ha^–1 sludge rate. While soybean nodulation also increased linearly on sludge-amended soil, a significant rate times pH interaction for nodule number indicated that nodulation was less strongly enhanced by sludge at low soil pH.     

Numbers of clover rhizobia needed for crown nodulation and early growth of clover in soil

Low soil populations of Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii indicate a need for inoculating clovers (Trifolium sp.) at planting. The number of rhizobia in soil varies considerably from field to field and the number needed for nodulation on the upper taproot and for vigorous seedling development is not known. Two experiments were undertaken using arrowleaf clover (T. vesiculosum Savi) and crimson clover (T. incarnatum L.) grown in pots filled with soil. Two soils were used; one contained 10 indigenous rhizobia g^-1 and the other contained fewer than three. The treatments consisted of amending each soil with two strains of inoculant rhizobia to contain from 10 to approximately 1×10⁶ rhizobia g^-1 followed by planting to clover. The number of nodules near the top of the root increased as the number of rhizobia in the soil increased to the highest inoculum level. A low number (approximately 1×10³ to 1×10⁴) of rhizobia was sufficient for maximal N content of seedlings. It seems that soil containing 100 or fewer rhizobia g^-1 may respond to inoculation with increased crown nodulation and seedling vigor.