Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Prospects and potentials for systems of biological nitrogen fixation in sustainable rice production

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Biology and Fertility of Soils Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The N requirement of rice crops is well known. To overcome acute N deficiency in rice soils, this element is usually supplied to the rice crop as the commercially available fertilizer urea. But unfortunately a substantial amount of the urea-N is lost through different mechanisms causing environmental pollution problems. Utilization of biological N fixation (BNF) technology can decrease the use of urea-N, reducing the environmental problems to a considerable extent. Different BNF systems have different potentials to provide a N supplement, and it is necessary to design appropriate strategies in order to use BNF systems for efficient N supply to a rice crop. Research has been conducted around the world to evaluate the potential of different BNF systems to supply N to rice crops. This paper reviews salient findings of these works to assess all the current information available. This review indicates that the aquatic biota Cyanobacteria and Azolla can supplement the N requirements of plants, replacing 30–50% of the required urea-N. BNF by some diazotrophic bacteria like Azotobacter, Clostridium, Azospirillum, Herbaspirillum and Burkholderia can substitute for urea-N, while Rhizobium can promote the growth physiology or improve the root morphology of the rice plant. Green manure crops can also fix substantial amounts of atmospheric N. Among the green manure crops, Sesbania rostrata has the highest atmospheric N2-fixing potential, and it has the potential to completely substitute for urea-N in rice cultivation.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • App AA, Watanabe I, Ventura TS, Bravo M, Jurey CD (1986) The effect of cultivated and wild rice varieties on the nitrogen balance of flooded soil. Soil Sci 141:448–452

    Google Scholar 

  • Arangarasan V, Palaniappan SP, Chelliah S (1998) Inoculation effects of diazotrophs and phosphobacteria on rice. Indian J Microbiol 38:111–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Balandreau J (2002) The spermosphere model to select for plant growth promoting rhizobacteria. In: Kennedy IR, Choudhury ATMA (eds) Biofertilisers in action. Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, Canberra, pp 55–63

  • Baldani VLD, Döbereiner J (1980) Host-plant specificity in the infection of cereals with Azospirillum spp. Soil Biol Biochem 12:433–439

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baldani JI, Baldani VLD, Seldin L, Döbereiner J (1986) Characterization of Herbaspirillum seropedicae gen. nov., sp. nov., a root-associated nitrogen-fixing bacterium. Int J Syst Bacteriol 36:86–93.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baldani JI, Caruso L, Baldani VLD, Goi SR, Döbereiner J (1997) Recent advances in BNF with non-legume plants. Soil Biol Biochem 29:911–922

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baldani VLD, Baldani JI, Döbereiner J (2000) Inoculation of rice plants with the endophytic diazotrophs Herbaspirillum seropedicae and Burkholderia spp. Biol Fertil Soils 30:485–491

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Begum ZNT, Mandal R, Khan ZUM, Hossain MZ (1996) Prospect and potentiality of cyanobacteria as an alternative source of nitrogen fertilizer in Bangladesh rice cultivation. In: Rahman M, Podder AK, Hove CV, Begum ZNT, Heulin T, Hartmann A (eds) Biological nitrogen fixation associated with rice production. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 119–131

  • Bin J (1983) Utilization of green manure for raising soil fertility in China. Soil Sci 135:65–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Biswas JC, Ladha JK, Dazzo FB (2000a) Rhizobia inoculation improves nutrient uptake and growth of lowland rice. Soil Sci Soc Am J 64:1644–1650

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Biswas JC, Ladha JK, Dazzo FB, Yanni YG, Rolfe BG (2000b) Rhizobial inoculation influences seedling vigour and yield of rice. Agron J 92:880–886

    Google Scholar 

  • Chandra K, Singh KJ (1996) Effect of Azotobacter and phosphate solubilizing micro organism on yield of rice crop. Environ Ecol 14:39–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Choudhury ATMA, Khanif YM (2001) Evaluation of the effects of nitrogen and magnesium fertilization on rice yield and fertilizer nitrogen efficiency using 15N tracer technique. J Plant Nutr 24:855–871

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Choudhury ATMA, Zaman SK, Bhuiyan NI (1996) Stem cutting of dhaincha (Sesbania rostrata) green manuring as substitute of urea-N for rainfed lowland rice. Bangladesh J Agric Sci 23: 101–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Choudhury ATMA, Khanif YM, Aminuddin H, Zakaria W (2002a) Effects of copper and magnesium fertilization on rice yield and nitrogen use efficiency: a 15N tracer study. In: Proceedings of the 17th World Congress of Soil Science, Bangkok, Thailand Symposium no. 50, paper no. 226, pp 1–10

  • Choudhury ATMA, Zaman SK, Bhuiyan NI (2002b) Sesbania: a potential nitrogen source for sustainable rice production. In: Kennedy IR, Choudhury ATMA (eds) Biofertilisers in action. Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, Canberra, pp 94–101

  • Cissé M, Vlek PLG (2003) Influence of urea on biological N2 fixation and N transfer from Azolla intercropped with rice. Plant Soil 250:105–112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dargen SK, Chilli RK, Bhardwaj KKB (1975) Alkali soils: green manuring for more paddy. Indian Farming 25:13–15

    Google Scholar 

  • De Datta SK (1978) Fertilizer management for efficient use in wetland rice soils. In: Soils and rice. International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Philippines, pp 671–679

  • De Datta SK (1981) Principles and practices of rice production. John Wiley & Sons, New York

  • De Datta SK, Buresh RJ (1989) Integrated nitrogen management in irrigated rice. Adv Soil Sci 10:143–169

    Google Scholar 

  • Dreyfus B, Garcia JL, Gillis M (1988) Characterization of Azorhizobium caulinodans gen. nov., sp. nov., a stem-nodulating nitrogen-fixing bacterium isolated from Sesbania rostrata. Int J Sys Bacteriol 38:89–98

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Elbadry M, El-Bassel A, Elbanna K (1999) Occurrence and dynamics of phototrophic purple nonsulphur bacteria compared with other asymbiotic nitrogen fixers in rice fields of Egypt. World J Microb Biotech 15:359–362

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Estrada-de los Santos P, Bustilios-Cristales R, Caballero-Mellado J (2001) Burkholderia, a genus rich in plant-associated nitrogen fixers with wide environmental and geographic distribution. Appl Environ Microbiol 67:2790–2798

    Google Scholar 

  • Galal YGM (1997) Estimation of nitrogen fixation in an Azolla -rice association using the nitrogen-15 isotope dilution technique. Biol Fertil Soils 24:76–80

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ghai SK, Rao DLN, Batra L (1988) Nitrogen contribution to wetland rice by green manuring with Sesbania spp in an alkaline soil. Biol Fertil Soils 6:22–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Gillis M, Tran Van V, Bardin R, Goor M, Hebbar P, Willems A, Segers P, Kersters K, Heulin T, Fernandez MP (1995) Polyphasic taxonomy in the genus Burkholderia leading to an amended description of the genus and proposition of Burkholderia vietmaniensis sp. nov. for N2-fixing isolates from rice in Vietnam. Int J Sys Bacteriol 45:274–289

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grant IF, Roger PA, Watanabe I (1986) Ecosystem manipulation for increasing biological N2 fixation by blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) in lowland rice fields. Biol Agric Hortic 3:299–315

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gyaneshwar P, James EK, Reddy PM, Ladha JK (2002) Herbaspirillum colonization increases growth and nitrogen accumulation in aluminium-tolerant rice varieties. New Phytol 154:131–145

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hashem MA (2001) Problems and prospects of cyanobacterial biofertilizer for rice cultivation. Aust J Plant Physiol 28:881–888

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hashem MA, Islam MR, Banu NA (1995) Nitrogen fixation and salinity reduction by blue-green algae. Bangladesh J Agric Sci 22:251–256

    Google Scholar 

  • Hove CV, Lejeune A (1996) Does Azolla has any future in agriculture? In: Rahman M, Podder AK, Hove CV, Begum ZNT, Heulin T, Hartmann A (eds) Biological nitrogen fixation associated with rice production. Kluwer Aacademic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 83–94

  • Inubushi K, Watanabe I (1986) Dynamics of available nitrogen in paddy soils. II. Mineralized N of chloroform-fumigated soil as a nutrient source for rice. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 32:561–577

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • IRRI (International Rice Research Institute) (2003) World rice statistics. http://www.irri.org/science/ricestat/index.asp

  • Islam N, Bora LC (1998) Biological management of bacterial leaf blight of rice (Oryza sativa) with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria. Indian J Agric Sci 68:798–800

    Google Scholar 

  • James EK, Gyaneshwar P, Mathan N, Barraquio WL, Reddy PM, Iannetta PPM, Olivares FL, Ladha JK (2002) Infection and colonization of rice seedlings by the plant growth-promoting bacterium Herbaspirillum seropedicae Z67. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 15:894–906

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jeyabal A, Kuppuswamy G (2001) Recycling of organic wastes for the production of vermicompost and its response in rice-legume cropping system and soil fertility. Eur J Agron 15:153–170

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kannaiyan S (1993) Nitrogen contribution by Azolla to rice crop. Proc Indian Natl Sci Acad Part B Biol Sci 59:309–314

    Google Scholar 

  • Kannaiyan S (1999) Biological fertilizers for rice production. In: Kannaiyan S (ed) Bioresources technology for sustainable agriculture. Associate Publishing Company, New Delhi, pp 1–29

  • Kannaiyan S, Somporn C (1989) Effect of high temperature on growth, nitrogen fixation and chlorophyll content of five species of Azolla - Anabaena symbiosis. Biol Fertil Soils 7:168–172

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kannaiyan S, Govindarajan K, Lewin HD (1980) Effect of foliar spray of Azotobacter chroococcum on rice crop. Plant Soil 56:487–490

    Google Scholar 

  • Kannaiyan S, Aruna SJ, Kumari SMP, Hall DO (1997) Immobilized cyanobacteria as biofertilizer for rice crop. J Appl Phycol 19:167–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kanungo PK, Ramakrishnan B, Rao VR (1997) Placement effect of organic sources on nitrogenase activity and nitrogen-fixing bacteria in flooded rice soils. Biol Fertil Soils 25:103–108

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy IR, Islam N (2001) The current and potential contribution of asymbiotic nitrogen fixation to nitrogen requirements on farms: a review. Aust J Exp Agric 41:447–457

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy IR, Tchan Y (1992) Biological nitrogen fixation in non-leguminous field crops: recent advances. Plant Soil 141:93–118

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khamas KM, Ageron E, Grimont PAD, Kaiser P (1994) The nitrogen-fixing bacteria from Iraqi rice-field soils. Eur J Soil Biol 30:101–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Kundu DK, Ladha JK (1995) Enhancing soil nitrogen use and biological nitrogen fixation in wetland rice. Exp Agric 31:261–277

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ladha JK, Kundu DK (1997) Legumes for sustaining soil fertility in lowland rice. In: Rupela OP, Johansen C, Herridge DF (eds) Extending nitrogen fixation research to farmers’ fields. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru, Andra Pradesh, India, pp 76–102

  • Ladha JK, Reddy PM (1995) Extension of nitrogen fixation to rice—necessity and possibilities. GeoJournal 35:363–372

    Google Scholar 

  • Ladha JK, Baraquio WL, Watanabe I (1982) Immunological techniques to identify Azospirillum associated with rice. Can J Microbiol 28:478–485

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ladha JK, Tirol AC, Daroy MLG, Caldo G, Ventura W, Watanabe I (1986) Plant-associated N2 fixation (C2H2-reduction) by five rice varieties, and relationship with plant growth characters as affected by straw incorporation. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 32:91–106

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ladha JK, So RB, Watanabe I (1987a) Composition of Azospirillum species associated with wetland rice plant grown in different soils. Plant Soil 102:127–129

    Google Scholar 

  • Ladha JK, Tirol-Pande A, Punzalan GC, Watanabe I (1987b) Nitrogen-fixing (C2H2-reducing) activity and plant growth characters of 16 wetland rice varieties. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 33:187–200

    Google Scholar 

  • Ladha JK, Garcia M, Pareek RP, Rarivoson G (1992a) Relative contributions to nitrogenase (acetylene reducing) activity of stem and root nodules in Sesbania rostrata. Can J Microbiol 38:577–583

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ladha JK, Pareek RP, Becker M (1992b) Stem-nodulating legume- Rhizobium symbiosis and its agronomic use in lowland rice. Adv Soil Sci 20:147–192

    Google Scholar 

  • Ladha JK, Kundu DK, Coppenolle MGA, Peoples MB, Carangal VR, Dart PJ (1996) Legume productivity and soil nitrogen dynamics in lowland rice-based cropping systems. Soil Sci Soc Am J 60:183–192

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malarvizhi P, Ladha JK (1999) Influence of available nitrogen and rice genotype on associative dinitrogen fixation. Soil Sci Soc Am J 63: 93–99

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malik KA, Mirza MS, Hassan U, Mehnaz S, Rasul G, Haurat J, Bally R, Normand P (2002) The role of plant-associated beneficial bacteria in rice-wheat cropping system. In: Kennedy IR, Choudhury ATMA (eds) Biofertilisers in action. Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, Canberra, pp 73–83

  • Matsuguchi T (1979) Factors affecting heterotrophic nitrogen fixation in submerged rice soils. In: Nitrogen and rice. International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Philippines, pp 207–222

  • Mian MH (1984) A 15N tracer study to differentiate nitrogen supply to flooded rice plants by Azolla and Anabaena during their early and later stages of decomposition. Indian J Agril Sci 54:733–738

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mian MH (1985) Relative nitrogen supply from 15N-labelled Azolla and blue-green algae to IR8 rice grown in pots under flooded conditions. Philipp Agric 68: 415–423

    Google Scholar 

  • Mian MH (2002) Azobiofer: a technology of production and use of Azolla as biofertiliser for irrigated rice and fish cultivation. In: Kennedy IR, Choudhury ATMA (eds) Biofertilisers in action. Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, Canberra, pp 45–54

  • Mian MH, Kashem MA (1995) Comparative efficiency of some selected methods of applying Azolla for cultivation of irrigated rice. Bangladesh J Crop Sci 6: 29–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Mirza MS, Rasul G, Mehnaz S, Ladha JK, So RB, Ali S, Malik KA (2000) Beneficial effects of inoculated nitrogen-fixing bacteria on rice. In: Ladha JK, Reddy PM (eds) The quest for nitrogen fixation in rice. International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Philippines, pp 191–204

  • Mishustin EN, Emtsev VT, Lockmacheva RA (1983) Anaerobic nitrogen-fixing microorganisms of the Clostridium genus and their activity in soil. Biol Bull 9:548–558

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore AW (1969) Azolla: biology and agronomic significance. Bot Rev 35:17–30

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mulder EG (1975) Physiology and ecology of free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria. In: Stewart WDP (ed) Nitrogen fixation by free-living micro-organisms. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 3–28

  • Murty MG, Ladha JK (1988) Influence of Azospirillum inoculation on the mineral uptake and growth of rice under hydroponic conditions. Plant Soil 108:281–285

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakata PA (2002) The generation of a transposon-mutagenized Burkholderia glumae library to isolate novel mutants. Plant Sci 162:267–271

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nayak DN, Ladha JK, Watanabe I (1986) The fate of marker Azospirillum lipoferum inoculated into rice and its effect on growth, yield and N2 fixation of plants studied by acetylene reduction, 15N2 feeding and 15N dilution techniques. Biol Fertil Soils 2:7–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Nguyen TH, Kennedy IR, Roughley RJ (2002) The response of field-grown rice to inoculation with a multi-strain biofertiliser in the Hanoi district, Vietnam. In: Kennedy IR, Choudhury ATMA (eds) Biofertilisers in Action. Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, Canberra, pp 37–44

  • Pareek RP, Ladha JK, Watanabe I (1990) Estimating N2-fixation by Sesbania rostrata and S. cannabina (Syn. S. aculeaata) in lowland rice soil by the 15N dilution method. Biol Fertil Soils 10:77–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Peoples MB, Herridge DF, Ladha JK (1995) Biological nitrogen fixation: an efficient source of nitrogen for sustainable agricultural production. Plant Soil 174:3–28

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pereira JAR, Cavalcante VA, Baldani JI, Döbereiner J (1988) Field inoculation of sorghum and rice with Azospirillum spp. and Herbaspirillum seropedicae. Plant Soil 110:269–274

    Google Scholar 

  • Pimentel JP, Olivares F, Pitard RM, Urquiaga S, Akiba F, Döbereiner J (1991) Dinitrogen fixation and infection of grass leaves by Pseudomonas rubrisubalbicans and Herbaspirillum seropedicae. Plant Soil 137:61–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Ponnamperuma FN (1972) The chemistry of submerged soils. Adv Agron 24: 29–96

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ponnamperuma FN, Deturck P (1993) A review of fertilization in rice production. Int Rice Commun Newsl 42:1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Rao VR (1976) Nitrogen fixation as influenced by moisture content, ammonium sulphate and organic sources in a paddy soil. Soil Biol Biochem 8:445–448

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rao VR (1978) Effect of carbon sources on asymbiotic nitrogen fixation in a paddy soil. Soil Biol Biochem 10:319–321

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reeves TG, Waddington SR, Ortiz-Monasterio I, Bänziger M, Cassaday K (2002) Removing nutritional limits to maize and wheat production: A developing country perspective. In: Kennedy IR, Choudhury ATMA (eds) Biofertilisers in Action. Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, Canberra, pp 11–36

  • Roger PA, Kulasooriya SA (1980) Blue-Green Algae and Rice. International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Philippines

  • Roger PA, Ladha JK (1992) Biological N2 fixation in wetland rice fields: estimation and contribution to nitrogen balance. Plant Soil 141:41–45

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roger PA, Watanabe I (1986) Technologies for utilizing biological nitrogen fixation in wetland rice: potentials, current usage and limiting factors. Fert Res 9:39–77

    Google Scholar 

  • Roncato-Maccari LDB, Ramos HJO, Pedrosa FO, Alquini Y, Chubatsu LS, Yates MG, Rigo LU, Steffens MBR, Souza EM (2003) Root colonization, systematic spreading and contribution of Herbaspirillum seropedicae to growth of rice seedlings. Symbiosis 35:261–270

    Google Scholar 

  • Roper MM, Ladha JK (1995) Biological N2 fixation by heterotrophic and phototrophic bacteria in association with straw. Plant Soil 174:211–224

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sahrawat KL (2000) Macro and micronutrients removed by upland and lowland rice cultivars in West Africa. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 31:717–723

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sano Y, Fujii T, Iyama S, Hirota Y, Komagata K (1981) Nitrogen fixation in the rhizosphere of cultivated and wild rice strains. Crop Sci 21:758–761

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saralov AI, Babanazarov TR (1983) Characteristics of the microflora and nitrogen fixation in the takyr soils of the rice fields in the Karakapak ASSR. Microbiol 51:682–686

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarkar A, Jana S (1986) Heavy metal pollutant tolerance of Azolla pinnata. Water Air Soil Pollut 27:15–18

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shiomi N, Kitoh S (1987) Nutrient absorption capacity of Azolla from waste water and use of Azolla plant as biomass. J Plant Nutr 10:1663–1670

    Google Scholar 

  • Shrestha RK, Ladha JK (1996) Genotypic variation in promotion of rice dinitrogen fixation as determined by nitrogen-15 dilution. Soil Sci Soc Am J 60:1815–1821

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shrestha RK, Ladha JK (1998) Nitrate in groundwater and integration of nitrogen-catch crop in rice-sweet pepper cropping system. Soil Sci Soc Am J 62:1610–1619

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh AL, Singh PK (1990) Intercropping of Azolla biofertlizer with rice at different crop geometry. Trop Agric 67:350–354

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh MS, Devi RKT, Singh NI (1999) Evaluation of methods for Azotobacter application on the yield of rice. Indian J Hill Farm 12:22–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Stewart WDP (1980) Some aspects of structure and function in N2-fixing cyanobacteria. Annu Rev Microbiol 34:497–536

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tran Van V, Mavingui P, Berge O, Balandreau J, Heulin T (1994) Promotion de croissance du riz inoculé par une bactérie fixatrice d’azote, Burkholderia vietnamiensis, isolée d’un sol sulfaté acide du Viêt-nam. Agronomie 14:697–707

    Google Scholar 

  • Tran Van V, Berge O, Ke SN, Balandreau J, Heulin T (2000) Repeated beneficial effects of rice inoculation with a strain of Burkholderia vietnamiensis on early and late yield components in low fertility sulphate acid soils of Vietnam. Plant Soil 218:273–284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uma D, Kannaiyan S (1999) Studies on salt stress on growth, ammonia excretion and nitrogen fixation by the cyanobacterial mutant Anabaena variabilis—NTG-2T-SK-DU. J Microb World 1:9–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Vandamme P, Goris J, Chen Wen-Ming, Vos Paul de, Willems A (2002) Burkholderia tuberum sp. nov. and Burkholderia phymatum sp. nov., nodulate the roots of tropical legumes. System Appl Microbiol 25:507–512

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ventura W, Mascarina GB, Furoc RE, Watanabe I (1987) Azolla and Sesbania as biofertilizers for lowland rice. Philipp J Crop Sci 12:61–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu P, Zhang G, Ladha JK, McCouch SR, Huang N (1995) Molecular-marker-facilitated investigation on the ability to stimulate N2 fixation in the rhizosphere by irrigated rice plants. Theor Appl Genet 91:1177–1183

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yanni YG, El-Fattah FKA (1999) Towards integrated biofertilization management with free living and associative dinitrogen fixers for enhancing rice performance in the Nile delta. Symbiosis 27:319–331

    Google Scholar 

  • Yanni YG, Rizk RY, Corich V, Squartini A, Ninke K, Philip-Hollingsworth S, Orgambide G, de Bruijn F, Stoltzfus J, Buckley D, Schmidt TM, Mateos PF, Ladha JK, Dazzo FB (1997) Natural endophytic association between Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii and rice and assessment of its potential to promote rice growth. Plant Soil 194:99–114

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zaman SK, Choudhury ATMA, Bhuiyan NI (1994) Stem cutting Sesbania rostrata: an approach of green manure establishment for rainfed lowland rice. Thai J Agric Sci 27:269–276

    Google Scholar 

  • Zaman SK, Parul SS, Ahmed HU, Bhuiyan NI (1997) Effect of ploughpan management on the performance of rice varieties under drought prone rainfed lowland environment. Thai J Agric Sci 30:491–500

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. SUNFix Centre for Nitrogen Fixation, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, The University of Sydney, Ross Street Building A03, 2006, NSW, Australia

    A. T. M. A. Choudhury & I. R. Kennedy

Authors
  1. A. T. M. A. Choudhury
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. I. R. Kennedy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. T. M. A. Choudhury.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Choudhury, A.T.M.A., Kennedy, I.R. Prospects and potentials for systems of biological nitrogen fixation in sustainable rice production. Biol Fertil Soils 39, 219–227 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-003-0706-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-003-0706-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation