Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of fertilizers, lime, and inoculation with rhizobia and mycorrhizal fungi on the growth of four leguminous tree species in a low-fertility soil

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Biology and Fertility of Soils Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of lime, fertilizers, mycorrhizal fungi, and selected rhizobia strains on the growth of four woody legume species, Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth., Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Vell.) Morong., Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit, and Sesbania virgata (Cav.) Pers. in a low-fertility soil. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse condition in plastic pots (4 kg). Eight treatments and eight replicates per treatment were performed in a completely randomized design. The treatments were: (1) complete treatment (C) (NPK fertilization + micronutrients + liming + MR that is inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobia); (2) C minus N (C − N that is as C without the addition of N); (3) C − N − M (as C − N without inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)); (4) C − N −R (as C − N without inoculation of rhizobia); (5) C − N − liming (as C − N without liming); (6) C − N − micro (as C − N without addition of micronutrients); (7) C − N − P (as C − N without addition of P); (8) control without fertilization, liming, and without inoculation with AMF and rhizobia. After 4 months of growth, we determined the yield of individual plants, nodulation, mycorrhizal colonization, and nutrient contents. Phosphorus was the most limiting nutrient for plant growth, followed by nitrogen. L. leucocephala and S. virgata had the most robust response to the addition of micronutrients and liming, showing an increase in nutrient content, plant height, and root and shoot dry matter. When compared to the single inoculation, the dual inoculation increased growth of all plants, except that of A. lebbeck, which did not respond to either rhizobia or mycorrhizal fungi inoculation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alloway BJ (2008) Micronutrients and crop production. In: Alloway BJ (ed) Micronutrient deficiencies in global crop production. Springer, Netherlands, pp 1–40

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Antunes PM, Rajcan I, Goss MJ (2006) Specific flavonoids as interconnecting signals in the tripartite symbiosis formed by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Bradyrhizobium japonicum (Kirchner) Jordan and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). Soil Biol Biochem 38:533–543

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bashan Y, Salazar B, Puente ME (2009) Responses of native legumes desert trees used in reforestation in the Sonoran Desert to plant with promoting microorganisms in screen house. Biol Fertil Soils 45:655–662

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bethlenfalvay GJ, Brown MS, Stafford AE (1985) The Glycine-Glomus-Rhizobium symbiosis. II. Antagonistic effects between mycorrhizal colonization and nodulation. Plant Physiol 79:1054–1058

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brauer D, Ritchey D, Belesky D (2002) Effects of lime and calcium on root development and nodulation of clovers. Crop Sci 42:1640–1646

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Catoira R, Galera C, De Billy F, Penmetsa RV, Journet EP, Maillet F, Rosenberg C, Cook GC, Denarie J (2000) Four genes of Medicago truncatula controlling components of a nod factor transduction pathway. Plant Cell 12:1647–1666

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chao CC, Young CC, Cheng WE (1985) Effects of rhizobial inoculant and liming on the growth and nodulation of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit. in an acid slope-land. J Agric Assoc China 131:35–41

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dible WT, Truog E, Berger KC (1954) Boron determination in soils and plants. Anal Chem 26:418–421

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fawcett JK (1954) The semi-micro Kjeldahl method for the determination of nitrogen. J Med Lab Technol 12:1–22

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Florentino LA, Guimarães AP, Rufini M, da Silva K, Moreira FMS (2009) Sesbania virgata stimulates the occurrence of its microsymbiont in soils but does not inhibit microsymbionts of other species. Sci Agric 66:667–676

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Franco AA, Faria SM (1997) The contribution of N2-fixing tree legumes to land reclamation and sustainability in the tropics. Soil Biol Biochem 29:897–903

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Furtini-Neto AE, Siqueira JO, Curi N, Moreira FMS (2004) Fertilization in native species reforestation. In: Gonçalves JLM, Benedetti V (eds) Forest nutrition and fertilization. IPEF, Brazil, pp 351–383

    Google Scholar 

  • Furtini-Neto AE, Vale FR, Resende AV, Silva IR (1999) Liming effects on growth of woody species from the Brazilian Cerrado. Pesq Agrop Bras 34:829–837

    Google Scholar 

  • Giovannetti M, Mosse B (1980) An evaluation of techniques for measuring vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal infection in roots. New Phytol 84:489–500

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gonçalves M, Moreira FMS (2004) Specificity of the Legume Sesbania virgata (Caz.) Pers. and its nodule isolates Azorhizobium johannae with other legume Hostes and Rhizobia. I. Symbiosis 36:57–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Helrich K (1990) Official methods of analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists. AOAC, Arlington

    Google Scholar 

  • Howieson JG, Robson AD, Ewing MA (1993) External phosphate and calcium concentrations and pH but not the products of rhizobial nodulation genes, affect the attachment of Rhizobium meliloti to roots of annual medics. Soil Biol Biochem 25:567–573

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Isaac RA, Kerber JO (1971) Atomic absorption and flame photometry: technique and uses in soil, plant and water analysis. In: Walsh LM (ed) Instrumental methods of analysis of soils and plant tissue. SSSA, Madison, pp 17–37

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaschuk G, Kuyper TW, Leffelaar PA, Hungria M, Giller KE (2009) Are the rates of photosynthesis stimulated by the carbon sink strength of rhizobial and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses? Soil Biol Biochem 41:1233–1244

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kistner C, Parniske M (2002) Evolution of signal transduction in intracellular symbiosis. Trends Plant Sci 7:511–518

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leigh J, Hodge A, Fitter AH (2009) Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi can transfer substantial amounts of nitrogen to their host plant from organic material. New Phytol 181:199–207

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lesueur D, Diem HG, Dianda M, LeRoux C (1993) Selection of Bradyrhizobium strains and provenances of Acacia mangium and Faiderbia albida: relationship with their tolerance to acidity and aluminum. Plant Soil 149:159–166

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lima AS, Nóbrega RSA, Barberi A, Silva K, Ferreira DF, Moreira FMS (2009) Nitrogen-fixing bacteria communities occurring in soils under different uses in the Western Amazon Region as indicated by nodulation of siratro (Macroptilium atropurpureum). Plant Soil 319:127–145

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller RO (1998) Nitric-perchloric acid wet digestion in an open vessel. In: Kalra YP (ed) Handbook of reference methods for plant analysis. CRC Press, BocaRaton, Fl, pp 57–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Moreira FMS, Cruz L, Faria SM, Marsh T, Martinez-Romero E, Pedrosa FO, Pitard RM, Young PJW (2006) Azorhizobium doebereinerae sp. Nov. microsymbiont of Sesbania virgata (Caz.) Pers. Syst Appl Microbiol 29:197–206

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moreira FMS, Gillis M, Pot B, Kersters K, Franco AA (1993) Characterization of rhizobia isolated from different divergence groups of tropical Leguminosae by comparative gel electrophoresis of their total proteins. Syst Appl Microbiol 16:135–146

    Google Scholar 

  • Moreira FMS, Haukka K, Young JPW (1998) Biodiversity of rhizobia isolated from a wide range of forest legumes in Brazil. Mol Ecol 7:889–895

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moreira FMS, Nóbrega RSA, Jesus EC, Perez DV, Ferreira DF (2009) Differentiation in the fertility of Inceptisols as related to land use in the upper Solimões river region, western Amazon. Sci Total Environ 408:349–355

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mortimer PE, Perez-Fernandez MA, Valentine AJ (2008) The role of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization in the carbon and nutrient economy of the tripartite symbiosis with nodulated Phaseolus vulgaris. Soil Biol Biochem 40:1019–1027

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Naidu R, Tillman RW, Syers JK, Kirkman JH (1990) Lime–aluminium–phosphorus interactions and the growth of Leucaena leucocephala. Plant Soil 126:9–17

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Parniske M (2008) Arbuscular mycorrhiza: the mother of plant root endosymbioses. Nat Rev Microbiol 6:763–775

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Patreze CM, Cordeiro L (2004) Nitrogen-fixing and vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses in some tropical legume trees of tribe Mimoseae. For Ecol Manag 196:275–285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patreze CM, Cordeiro L (2005) Nodulation, arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization and growth of some legumes native from Brazil. Acta Bot Bras 19:527–537

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piper CS (1947) Soil and plant analysis. Interscience Publishers, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Rengel Z (1992) Role of calcium in aluminum toxicity. New Phytol 121:499–513

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Requena N, Jimenez I, Toro M, Barea JM (1997) Interactions between plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Rhizobium spp. in the rhizosphere of Anthyllis cytisoides, a model legume for revegetation in mediterranean semi-arid ecosystems. New Phytol 136:667–677

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh A, Jha AK, Singh JS (2000) Effect of nutrient enrichment on native tropical trees planted on Singrauli Coalfields India. Restor Ecol 8:80–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siqueira JO, Carneiro MAC, Curi N, Rosado SCS, Davide AC (1998) Mycorrhizal colonization and mycotrophic growth of native woody species as related to successional groups in southeastern Brazil. For Ecol Manag 107:241–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siqueira JO, Saggin-Junior OJ (2001) Dependency on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and responsiveness of some Brazilian native woody species. Mycorrhiza 11:245–255

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sprent JI (2008) Evolution and diversity of legume symbiosis. In: Dilworth MJ, James E, Sprent J, Newton WE (eds) Nitrogen-fixing leguminous symbioses. Springer-Verlag, New York, pp 1–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith SE, Read DJ (2008) Mycorrhizal symbiosis. Academic Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Vargas MAT, Mendes IC, Hungria M (2000) Response of field-grown been (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) to Rhizobium inoculation and nitrogen fertilization in two Cerrados soils. Biol Fertil Soils 33:228–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker LR, Moral RD (2003) Primary succession and ecosystem rehabilitation. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Xavier LJC, Germida JJ (2002) Response of lentil under controlled conditions to co-inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobia varying in efficacy. Soil Biol Biochem 34:181–188

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xavier LJC, Germida JJ (2003) Selective interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viceae enhance pea yield and nutrition. Biol Fertil Soils 37:262–267

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang F, Mace F, Smith DL (2000) Mineral nitrogen availability and isoflavonoid accumulation in the root systems of soybean. J Agron Crop Sci 184:197–204

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank CNPq for student fellowship to T.S. Carvalho and for research fellowship and grant to F.M.S. Moreira.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soil Sciences, Federal University of Lavras, C.P. 3037, Lavras, MG, Brazil, CEP 37200-000

    Fatima Maria de Souza Moreira, Teotonio Soares de Carvalho & José Oswaldo Siqueira

Authors
  1. Fatima Maria de Souza Moreira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Teotonio Soares de Carvalho
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. José Oswaldo Siqueira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fatima Maria de Souza Moreira.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Moreira, F.M.S., de Carvalho, T.S. & Siqueira, J.O. Effect of fertilizers, lime, and inoculation with rhizobia and mycorrhizal fungi on the growth of four leguminous tree species in a low-fertility soil. Biol Fertil Soils 46, 771–779 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-010-0477-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-010-0477-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation