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Assessment of the natural endophytic association between Rhizobium and wheat and its ability to increase wheat production in the Nile delta

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Abstract

Aim of the research

This study examined whether rhizobia naturally associate with wheat (Triticum aestivum) and can enhance its production.

Methods

Field-grown, surface-sterilized, macerated wheat roots were inoculated on legume roots to isolate rhizobial endophytes. Nodule occupants were purified, genotypically differentiated, and tested gnotobiotically for legume symbiotic effectiveness and wheat growth-promotion. Biofertilizer performance of 13 selected strains was evaluated on 8 wheat varieties in 24 field experiments in 10 counties of the Kafr El-Sheikh governorate in the Egypt Nile delta.

Results

Only inoculated clover (Trifolium alexandrinum) produced root nodules hosting Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii. Some were symbiotically effective on clover and promoted wheat growth under gnotobiotic conditions. Inoculation significantly increased wheat grain yield in 21, 23, and 20 field experiments under N-application of 60, 120, and 180 kg N/ha, respectively, with corresponding increases of 9.2, 18.9, and 22.5 % higher grain yield over the mean of farmers’ yields using the same varieties in adjacent fields. Unlike the harvest indices, straw yield and agronomic fertilizer N-use efficiency benefitted from inoculation. Rhizobial mixed-strain inocula frequently outperformed single-strain inocula. Inoculation did not adversely affect endomycorrhizal infection of field-grown wheat roots.

Conclusion

Rhizobium naturally develops an endophytic association with wheat. Selected biofertilizer strains can enhance wheat production with acceptable input/output economy.

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Abbreviations

BTB:

Bromo-thymol blue

bv:

Biovar

CFU:

Colony-forming units

ESM:

Electronic supplementary materials

LSD:

Least significant difference

PGPR:

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria

YEM:

Yeast-extract mannitol

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the projects BIO2-001-017 and BIO5-001-015 (contract/agreement award nos. 27 and 015, respectively) of the US-Egypt Science and Technology Joint Fund. We thank the numerous wheat farmers listed in Table 2, our field experimentation experts for their cooperation in this study, and Drs. Abu-Bakr Gomaa and Greg Bonito for assistance with the mycorrhizal infection analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Kafr El-Sheikh, 33717, Egypt

    Youssef G. Yanni & Abd Elgawad Y. Elsadany

  2. Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Frank B. Dazzo

  3. Department of Agronomy, Food, Animals, Natural Resources and Environment DAFNAE, University of Padova, Viale dell’Universita’ 16, 35020, Legnaro, Italy

    Andrea Squartini & Marina Zanardo

  4. Department of Plant Nutrition, Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Kafr El-Sheikh, 33717, Egypt

    Mohamed I. Zidan

Authors
  1. Youssef G. Yanni
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  2. Frank B. Dazzo
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  3. Andrea Squartini
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  4. Marina Zanardo
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  5. Mohamed I. Zidan
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  6. Abd Elgawad Y. Elsadany
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Correspondence to Youssef G. Yanni.

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Responsible author: Youssef G. Yanni

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Yanni, Y.G., Dazzo, F.B., Squartini, A. et al. Assessment of the natural endophytic association between Rhizobium and wheat and its ability to increase wheat production in the Nile delta. Plant Soil 407, 367–383 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-2895-0

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