Symbiotic specificity of tropical tree rhizobia for host legumes

Citation
A. Bala et Ke. Giller, Symbiotic specificity of tropical tree rhizobia for host legumes, NEW PHYTOL, 149(3), 2001, pp. 495-507
Citations number
45
Categorie Soggetti
Plant Sciences
Journal title
NEW PHYTOLOGIST
ISSN journal
0028646X → ACNP
Volume
149
Issue
3
Year of publication
2001
Pages
495 - 507
Database
ISI
SICI code
0028-646X(200103)149:3<495:SSOTTR>2.0.ZU;2-7
Abstract
. The host range and specificity is reported of a genetically diverse group of rhizobia isolated from nodules of Calliandra calothyrsus, Gliricidia se pium, Leucaena leucocephala and Sesbania sesban. . Nodule number and nitrogen content was measured in seedlings of herbaceou s and woody legume species after inoculation with rhizobial strains isolate d from tropical soils, to establish symbiotic effectiveness groups for rhiz obial strains and their hosts. . Specificity for nodulation and N-2 fixation varied greatly among the legu mes. Symbionts of all four legumes exhibited a wide range of promiscuity an d symbiotic effectiveness with isolates of S. sesban having the narrowest h ost range. N-2 fixation varied greatly; although some strains fixed large a mounts of N-2 with more than one host, none was effective with all hosts. R hizobial isolates of C, calothyrsus, G, sepium and L, leucocephala were abl e to effectively cross-nodulate each others' hosts as well as a number of o ther species. . The complex nature of cross-nodulation relationships between diverse rhiz obial strains and legume hosts is highlighted. Host plants inoculated with effective rhizobial strains showed better nitrogen use efficiency than plan ts supplied solely with mineral nitrogen.