Abstract
Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) represents an important crop in tropics, but previous screenings of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseoli did not show strains that could fix N2 in symbiosis with bean at temperatures higher than 35°C (Hungria and Franco, 1993). However, there are other rhizobia and bradyrhizobia species that nodulate some tropical leguminous trees and can fix N2 at high temperatures. In a trial of rhizobial strains isolated from leguminous trees, we found that 14 out of 21 isolates from Gliricidia, Lonchocarpus and Leucaena were also able to nodulate common beans at optimal temperatures (28/23°C, day/night). When we exposed beans inoculated with these strains to high temperature conditions, 40°C/8 h/day, some of them accumulated at flowering time as much or more N as bean plants receiving mineral N. These broad host-range sources of rhizobia capable of fixing nitrogen with bean at high temperature seem to have the potential to improve yields in tropical soils.
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Hungria, M., Franco, A.A. & Sprent, J.I. New sources of high-temperature tolerant rhizobia for Phaseolus vulgaris L.. Plant Soil 149, 103–109 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00010767
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00010767