Effect of rhizobial inoculations on nitrogen metabolism of Albizia lebbek seedlings

Abstract

Rhizobia were isolated from Albizia lebbek (L) Benth. seedlings collected from six different places, tested against the nodulation test and inoculated into 45 day old Albizia lebbek seedlings in sterile soil mixture under glass house conditions. After a period of two and three months, the plant samples were taken to study the influence of inoculation treatments on nitrogen fixation, assimilation, biomass production and nitrogen content in different plant parts. The seedlings inoculated with isolates III(1) and III(2) of Lalpani had the maximum nodular biomass, specific (13.73 and 13.59 μ mole C₂H₂ reduced h⁻¹, respectively) and total nitrogenase (11.80 and 11.16 μ mole C₂H₂ reduced h⁻¹, respectively) activities in their nodules statistically at par with each other. These also exhibited high nitrate reductase activity in different plant parts. The seedlings inoculated with slow growing isolates viz. I(2) and IV(1) and the control were amongst poor performers for biomass production, nitrogenase activity and nitrate reductase activity in different plant parts. The minimum nitrogenase (specific and total) activities and low nitrogen content (%) in leaves, stems and roots were estimated in seedlings inoculated with isolate II(4) of Barkot. Nodular biomass was recorded as an indicator of nitrogen fixation activity rather than the number of nodules per plant. The isolates III(1) and III(2) can be utilized to enhance productivity in afforestation and reforestation programmes.

References

[1] Allen ON, Allen EK. The Leguminosae: a source book of characteristics, uses and nodulation. 1981, Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Press, 812.

[2] Aryal UK, Hossain MK, Mridha MAU, Xu HL, Umemura H. Effect of Rhizobium inoculation on growth, nodulation, and nitrogenase activity of some legume tree species. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 1999, 22: 1049-1059.

[3] Chauhan YS, Pokhriyal TC. Effects of Rhizobium and mycorrhizal inoculation in relation to pH treatments on some morphological characters in Albizia lebbek Benth. Annals of Forestry, 2001, 9: 314-322.

[4] Chauhan YS, Pokhriyal TC. Nodulation and nitrogen fixation as influenced by Rhizobium and mycorrhizal inoculation in Albizia lebbek (L.) Benth seedlings. Annal of Forestry, 2002, 10: 243-251.

[5] Dela-Cruz RE, Manalo MQ, Aggangan NS, Tambalo JD. Growth of three legume trees inoculated with VA mycorrhiza fungi and Rhizobium. Plant and Soil, 1988, 108: 111-115.

[6] Elkoca E, Kantar F, Sahin F. Influence of nitrogen fixing and phosphorus solubilizing bacteria on the nodulation, plant growth, and yield of chickpea. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 2008, 31: 157-171.

[7] Felker P, Clark PR. Nitrogen fixation (acetylene reduction) and cross inoculation in 12 Prosopis (Mesquite) species. Plant and Soil, 1980, 57: 177-186.

[8] Graham PH, Vance CP. Legumes: importance and constraints to greater use. Plant Physiology, 2003, 131: 872-877.

[9] Hardy RWF, Holsten RD, Jackson EK, Burns RC. The acetylene-ethylene assay for N2 fixation: laboratory and field evaluation. Plant Physiology, 1968, 43: 1185-1207.

[10] Havelka UD, Boyle MG, Hardy RWF. Stevensons F J. Biological N₂ fixation. Nitrogen in Agricultural Soils. 1982, Medison, Wisconsin: American Society of Agronomists, 365 422

[11] Kaur A, Husen A, Pokhriyal TC. Effect of seedling source variation in relation to nitrogen metabolism and biomass production in Albizia lebbek (L.) Benth. Journal of Tropical Forest Science, 2005, 17: 557-565.

[12] Klepper L, Flesher D, Hageman RH. Generation of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide for nitrate reduction in green leaves. Plant Physiology, 1971, 48: 580-590.

[13] Lal B, Khanna S. Renodulation and nitrogen fixing potential of Acacia nilotica inoculated with Rhizobium isolates. Canadian Journal of Microbiology, 1993, 39: 87-91.

[14] Lindstrom K. Analysis of factors affecting in-situ nitrogenase (C₂H₂) activity of Galega orientalis, Trifolium pratense and Medicago sativa in temperate conditions. Plant and Soil, 1984, 79: 329-341.

[15] Loomis WE, Shull AC. Methods in Plant Physiology. 1937, New York: McGraw Hill Book Co. Inc.

[16] National Academy of Science Tropical Legume: Resources for the Future. 1979, Washington, DC: National Academy Press

[17] Nelson LM, Child JJ. Nitrogen fixation and hydrogen metabolism by Rhizobium leguminosarum isolates in pea root nodules. Canadian Journal of Microbiology, 1981, 27: 1028-1034.

[18] Pandey PC, Chaukiyal SP, Pokhriyal TC. Nitrogenase activity vis-a-vis field testing of Dalbergia sissoo Rhizobium isolates collected from different sources. The Indian Forester, 1999, 125: 219-224.

[19] Pokhriyal TC, Chaukiyal SP, Negi DS. Seasonal changes in nodular nitrogenase and nitrate reductase activity of Dalbergia sisso. The Indian Journal of Plant Physiology, 1991, 34: 166-170.

[20] Pokhriyal TC, Chaukiyal SP, Singh KCH. Nitrogen fixation and nodulation behaviour in relation to seasonal changes in six multipurpose tree species. The Indian Forester, 1996, 122: 718-726.

[21] Pokhriyal TC, Raturi AS, Pant SP, Pande SK. Nitrogen fixation in Albizia, Acacia, Dalbergia, Leucaena leucocephala. The Indian Forester, 1987, 113: 336-339.

[22] Prasad P, Uniyal RC, Pokhriyal TC, Nautiyal AR. Effects of soil types on nodulation and nitrogen fixation in two leguminous tree species. Annals of Forestry, 1997, 5: 62-66.

[23] Roskoski JP, Pepper I, Pardo E. Inoculation of leguminous trees with rhizobia and VA mycorrhizal fungi. Forest Ecology and Management, 1986, 16: 57-68.

[24] Sane PV. Khoshoo T N. Banthra: future lines of work. Ecodevelopment of alkaline land. 1987, New Delhi, India: Publication and Information Directorate, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, 133 135

[25] Scheffe H. Analysis of Variance. 1959, New York: John Wiley and Sons

[26] Siddique MH. Nodulation study of a few legume tree species during seedling stage. Nitrogen Fixing Tree Research Report, 1989, 7 6.

[27] Singh HKC, Pokhriyal TC. Effects of some leguminous and non-leguminous nitrogen fixing herb, shrub, climber and tree species on soil nitrogen accretion. Annals of Forestry, 1998, 6: 119-122.

[28] Singleton PW, Tavares JW. Inoculation response of legumes in relation to the number and effectiveness of indigenous Rhizobium population. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 1986, 51: 1013-1018.

[29] Singleton PW, Bohlool BB, Nakao PL. Lal R, Sanchez P. Legume response to rhizobial inoculation in the tropics: myths and realities. Myths and Science of Soils in the Tropics. 1992, Madison: American Society of Agronomy, 135 155

[30] Somasegaran P, Bohlool BB. Single-strain versus multistrain inoculation: effect of soil mineral N availability on rhizobial strain effectiveness and competition for nodulation on chick-pea, soybean, and dry bean. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 1990, 56: 3298-3303.

[31] Somasegaran P, Abaidoo RC, Kumaga F. Host-Bradyrhizobium relationships and nitrogen-fixation in the Bambarra groundnut (Voandzeia subterranea (L.) Thouars nom. cons.). Tropical Agriculture (Trinidad), 1990, 67: 137-142.

[32] Thapar HS, Uniyal K, Rawat DS. Effect of VAM fungi and Rhizobium on growth of Acacia nilotica in saline and forest soil. Van Vigyan, 1996, 34: 107-108.

[33] Turk D, Keyser HH, Singleton PW. Response of tree legumes to rhizobial inoculation in relation to the population density of indigenous rhizobia. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 1993, 25: 75-81.

[34] Umali-Garcia M, Libuit J, Baggayan RL. Effects of Rhizobium incculation on growth and nodulation of Albizia falcataria (L.) Fosh. and Acacia mangium Willd. in the nursery. Plant and Soil, 1988, 108: 71-78.

[35] Vance CP. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation and phosphorus acquisition: plant nutrition in a world of declining renewable resources. Plant Physiology, 2001, 127: 390-397.

[36] Vincent JM. A manual for the practical study of the root nodule bacteria. 1970, Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications

[37] Weaver RW, Fredrick L. Effect of inoculum rate on competitive nodulation of Glycine max L. Merr. I. Greenhouse studies. Agronomy Journal, 1974, 66: 229-232.