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Effects of endophytic Streptomyces and mineral nitrogen on Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) growth and its symbiosis with rhizobia

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Abstract

Background and Aims

The effects of three endophytic Streptomyces on plant growth and the symbiosis of Lucerne and its rhizobial partner were examined in the presence of three levels of soil nitrogen.

Methods

Three Streptomyces strains, LuP30 and LuP47B isolated from the roots of Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) and EN23 isolated from roots of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were added as spores to Lucerne seeds (with and without Sinorhizobium meliloti RRI 128) at three levels of applied NH4NO3: 3, 25 and 50 mg/kg of soil.

Results

Plant growth increased with the addition of the actinobacteria strains alone from 19 % to 33 %. Co-inoculation of LuP30 with rhizobia strain RRI 128 produced the largest increase in shoot weight (46 %) of Lucerne plants growing in soil with 25 mg/kg NH4NO3. Co-inoculation with each of the actinobacteria with the rhizobia increased the number of nodules by more than 100 % compared with RRI128 alone, 4 weeks after rhizobial inoculation. A labelled 15N experiment showed co-inoculation with rhizobia and LuP30 or LuP47B enhanced N2-fixation 47 % and 72 %, respectively.

Conclusions

The actinobacteria significantly improved plant growth and N2-fixation when applied with the rhizobia strain RRI 128 to Lucerne plants growing in soil supplied with 25 mg/kg NH4NO3.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to SARDI for the supply of Lucerne seed and S. meliloti strain RRI 128, and Dr. Brent Kaiser for his advice and assistance with the 15N analyses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia

    Xuyen H. Le & Christopher M. M. Franco

  2. South Australian Research and Development Institute, GPO 397, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia

    Ross A. Ballard

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  1. Xuyen H. Le
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  2. Ross A. Ballard
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  3. Christopher M. M. Franco
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Correspondence to Christopher M. M. Franco.

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Responsible Editor: Kari Saikkonen.

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Le, X.H., Ballard, R.A. & Franco, C.M.M. Effects of endophytic Streptomyces and mineral nitrogen on Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) growth and its symbiosis with rhizobia. Plant Soil 405, 25–34 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-015-2704-1

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