Abstract
In the selection of acid-tolerantRhizobium meliloti, procedures for the collection and isolation of rhizobia, and the assessment of acid tolerance, have not been critically evaluated. Such procedures form the basis of this study. Root nodules were collected fromMedicago spp. found growing on acid soil in Sardinia. Their encumbent bacteria were isolated directly onto media adjusted over a range of pH values, and then assessed for acid tolerance in both the laboratory and field. Strains ofRhizobium meliloti isolated onto low pH media were, in general, more acid-tolerant than sister isolates from high pH media, when tested in both the laboratory and field. Dilution (10 or 100 fold) of the inocula used in the laboratory assessment did not greatly influence the rating derived, although there was some effect of bacterial colony type on growth rating. The link between polysaccharide production and acid tolerance was not strong. There was a poor correlation between the growth ratings derived from the laboratory screening and acid tolerance as expressed in the field.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ayanaba A, Asanuma S and Munns D N 1983 An agar plate method for the rapid screening of Rhizobium for tolerance to acid-aluminium stress. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 47, 256–258.
Bromfield E S P and Jones D G 1980 Studies on acid tolerance ofRhizobium trifolii in culture and soil. J. App. Bacteriol. 48, 253–264.
Chatel D L, Greenwood R M and Parker C A 1968 Saprophytic Competence as an Important Character in the Selection of Rhizobium for Inoculation. Proceedings 9th International Congress on Soil Science, Adelaide. Vol 2, pp 65–73.
Chatel D L, Snowball K and Robson A D 1979 A search for acid tolerance in medic rhizobia. Proc. 6th Aust. Leg. Nod. Conf., Perth.
Cunningham S D and Munns D N 1984 The correlation between extracellular polysaccharide production and acid tolerance in Rhizobium. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 48 1273–1276.
Date R A and Halliday J 1979 Selecting Rhizobium for acid, infertile soils of the tropics. Nature 277, 62–64.
Howieson J G 1985 Use of an organic buffer in the selection of acid tolerantRhizobium meliloti. Plant and Soil 88, 367–376
Howieson J G and Ewing M A 1986a Acid tolerance in theRhizobium meliloti-Medicago symbiosis. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 37, 55–64.
Howieson J G and Ewing M A 1986b Symbiotic competence ofMedicago species in relation to nodulation on acidic soils. Aust. Inst. Agric. Sci. Occasional publication, 25, 153–155.
Khan S I 1982 Comparison of the Effect of Acid Soil Factors on Growth of Fast and Slow Growing Cells of Rhizobium. Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Western Australia (submitted).
Lowendorf H S and Alexander M 1983a Identification ofRhizobium phaseoli strains that are tolerant or sensitive to soil acidity. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 45, 737–742.
Lowendorf H S and Alexander M 1983b SelectingRhizobium meliloti for inoculation of alfalfa planted in acid soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 47, 935–938.
McCullagh P and Nelder J A 1983 Generalized Linear Models. Chapman and Hall, London.
Munns D N 1968 Nodulation ofMedicago sativa in solution culture. I Acid sensitive steps. Plant and Soil 28, 129–146.
Munns D N 1978 Soil acidity and nodulation.In Mineral Nutrition of Legumes in Tropical and Subtropical Soils. Eds. C S Andrew and E J Kamprath. Dominion Press, Australia.
Munns D N, Keyser H H, Fogle V W, Hohenberg, J S, Righetti T L, Lauter D L, Zaroug M G, Clarkin K L and Whitacre K W 1979 Tolerance of soil acidity in Mung bean with Rhizobia. Agron. J. 71, 256–260.
Robson A D and Loneragan J F 1970 Nodulation and growth ofMedicago truncatula on acid soils. II Colonization of acid soils byRhizobium meliloti. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 21, 435–445.
Thornton F C and Davey C B 1983 Response of the Clover—Rhizobium symbiosis to soil acidity and Rhizobium strain. Agron. J. 75, 557–560.
Thornton F C and Davey C B 1984 Saprophytic competence of acid tolerant strains ofRhizobium trifolii in acid soil. Plant and Soil 80, 337–344.
Vincent J M 1970 A Manual for the Practical Study of the Root-nodule Bacteria. IPB Handbook No. 15, Blackwell Sci. Publ., Oxford.
Williams D A 1982 Extra-binomial variation in logistic linear models. Appl. Stats. 31,2. pp 144–148.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Howieson, J.G., Ewing, M.A. & D'Antuono, M.F. Selection for acid tolerance inRhizobium meliloti . Plant Soil 105, 179–188 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02376781
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02376781