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Influence of pH and calcium on the growth, polysaccharide production and symbiotic association of Sinorhizobium meliloti SEMIA 116 with alfalfa roots

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Abstract

The Sinorhizobium -legume interaction is sensitive to a number of environmental factors, soil acidity being one of the most important. In the typic Hapludoll soil of the central-southern region of Córdoba (Argentine) it was found that the nodulation of alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) roots was impaired with a reduction in shoot dry matter under conditions of soil acidity (pH 5.5) Our results showed that the addition of lime as dolomitic limestone at a concentration of 1 t ha-1 to acid soil caused a significant increase in the nodulation of alfalfa roots inoculated with the strain Sinorhizobium meliloti SEMIA 116 (recommended inoculum for alfalfa) in the greenhouse experiments. The success of the lime treatment may be related not only to an increase in the pH values but also to an increase in the Ca concentration, improving the growth of S. meliloti and its nodulation ability under acidic conditions. In this study, we also demonstrated an increment in the bacterial growth rate as well as in the production of exopolysaccharides and lipopolysaccharides under low pH (5.5) and a high Ca concentration (5 mM) in the culture medium.

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Acknowledgements

This investigation was supported by the Secretaría de Ciencia y Técnica de la Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas de la Provincia de Córdoba and Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica Argentina. Lime was generously provided by FGH (Argentina).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico-Químicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, 5800, Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina

    Carolina Delavechia, Eugenio Hampp, Adriana Fabra & Stella Castro

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  1. Carolina Delavechia
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  2. Eugenio Hampp
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  3. Adriana Fabra
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  4. Stella Castro
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Correspondence to Stella Castro.

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Delavechia, C., Hampp, E., Fabra, A. et al. Influence of pH and calcium on the growth, polysaccharide production and symbiotic association of Sinorhizobium meliloti SEMIA 116 with alfalfa roots. Biol Fertil Soils 38, 110–114 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-003-0627-0

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