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The improvement and utilization in forestry of nitrogen fixation by actinorhizal plants with special reference toAlnus in Scotland

  • Nitrogen Fixation by non-legumes in Forestry and Natural Ecosystems
  • Published:
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Summary

Alnus species are used widely in Britain for land reclamation, forestry and other purposes. Rapid juvenile growth of the AmericanAlnus rubra makes it an attractive species for planting on N-deficient soils, particularly those of low organic content. In small plot trials, this species is nodulated by indigenous soil frankiae as effectively asAlnus glutinosa. Over a three year period both species return similar amounts of N to the ecosystem, estimated at up to 10–12 kg N ha−1. Several strains ofFrankia have been isolated from local (Lennox Forest)A. rubra nodules. These differ morphologically and in their growth on different culture media, both from each other and fromA. glutinosa nodule isolates. AllAlnus isolates, however, have a total cellular fatty acid composition qualitatively similar to some other Group B frankiae. Glasshouse tests in N free culture suggest thatA. rubra nodules formed after inoculation of seedlings with American spore (−) isolates are three times more effective in N fixation than those inoculated with LennoxA. rubra spore (+) nodule homogenates. By contrast, the early growth of seedlings inoculated with spore (−)Frankia strains suggests at best a 35% improvement in N fixing activity over seedlings inoculated with LennoxA. rubra nodule isolates. Nevertheless, this improvement in activity, together with the better performance of seedlings inoculated with isolates compared with those treated with crushed nodule preparations, suggest that it would be worthwhile commercially to inoculate nursery stock with a spore (−)Frankia strain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, The University, G12 8QQ, Glasgow, UK

    C. T. Wheeler, J. E. Hooker, A. Crowe & A. M. M. Berrie

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  1. C. T. Wheeler
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  2. J. E. Hooker
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  3. A. Crowe
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  4. A. M. M. Berrie
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Wheeler, C.T., Hooker, J.E., Crowe, A. et al. The improvement and utilization in forestry of nitrogen fixation by actinorhizal plants with special reference toAlnus in Scotland. Plant Soil 90, 393–406 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02277411

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