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Nodulation studies in legumes

IV. The influence of inoculum strain and time of application of ammonium nitrate on symbiotic response

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Summary

The influence of combined nitrogen (as ammonium nitrate) on the symbiotic performances of selected bacterial associations of four legumes was examined using sand culture.

In barrel medic (Medicago tribuloides Desr.) and vetch (Vicia sativa L. andV. atropurpurea Desf.) bacterial partnerships of a host plant varied greatly in their nodulation responses to a range of amounts of nitrogen applied at sowing. Some bacterial strains exhibited varying degrees of stimulation of nodule number, growth and fixation by low or medium amounts of nitrogen. Higher levels of combined nitrogen depressed symbiosis. Other strain responses showed a severe restriction of symbiosis with any amount of added nitrogen.

Seasonal influences conditioned symbiotic responses to combined nitrogen in an association of cowpea (Vigna sinensis End.) With a summer sowing small amounts of ammonium nitrate added at sowing benefited later symbiotic development. No such stimulation was evident in an autumn sowing and symbiotic injury from high levels of nitrogen was greater than in the summer sowing.

The developing association of cowpea was found to be most sensitive to ammonium nitrate added just as the first leaves unfolded. Here damage was manifest in a permanent elevation of the top: root ratio with subnormal growth and functioning of nodules. Greatest benefit from added inorganic nitrogen followed applications made as the first nodules appeared on the primary root. In this case added combined nitrogen acted as an investment providing returns in additional fixation equivalent to 5–10 times the amount of nitrogen originally fed to the seedling and representing some 50 per cent greater total fixation than in minus-nitrogen controls.

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Author notes

  1. J. S. Pate

    Present address: Botany Department, Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Botany Department, University of Sydney, Australia

    J. S. Pate & P. J. Dart

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  1. J. S. Pate
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  2. P. J. Dart
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Pate, J.S., Dart, P.J. Nodulation studies in legumes. Plant Soil 15, 329–346 (1961). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01379467

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