Increased yield and persistence of several annual medic species and Medicago sativa by inoculation with selected strains of Sinorhizobium meliloti and S. medicae
P. M. Evans A , J. G. Howieson B C D and B. J. Nutt B CA Department of Primary Industries, Private Bag 105, Hamilton, Vic. 3300, Australia.
B Centre for Rhizobium Studies, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
C Agriculture Western Australia, Baron-Hay Court, South Perth, WA 6151, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: jhowieso@murdoch.edu.au
Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 45(3) 217-224 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA03128
Submitted: 24 June 2003 Accepted: 26 May 2004 Published: 14 April 2005
Abstract
A broad range of genotypes of Medicago sativa, and annual medics including M. polymorpha, M. tornata and M. littoralis were inoculated with strains of Sinorhizobium meliloti or S. medicae of differing effectiveness for symbiotic N2 fixation then sown at 4 field locations. Dry matter production over 2 seasons was strongly related to plant density, which in turn was related to symbiotic effectiveness. Eighteen months after sowing at Esperance, Western Australia, lucerne inoculated with strain WSM922 showed 79% higher plant density and 43% more production than control strain CC169. At Broomehill, no significant differences existed in dry matter production between lucerne cultivars inoculated with strains WSM922, WSM826 and U45. Across all lucerne genotypes, inoculation with WSM922 outyielded those inoculated with CC169 by 99%. At Jerramungup, the difference in yield between these 2 inoculant strains was 44%. Results were consistent with those previously obtained under controlled conditions and emphasised the necessity to remain aware of the symbiotic requirements of newly produced cultivars. An analysis of nodule occupancy at 1 site using PCR-RAPDs revealed the dominance of a particular rhizobial strain (WSM922) in uninoculated plots which had become colonised over 3 seasons. The necessity for separate inoculant species of Sinorhizobium in Australia to satisfy the symbiotic requirements of the acid and alkaline groups of medics was reaffirmed.
Additional keywords: acidity, lucerne, Medicago spp., Sinorhizobium, symbiosis.
Acknowledgments
We thank Messrs G. Bee, G. Holly and R. Agnew for kindly allowing us to conduct the experiments on their properties. The lucerne field research was partly funded by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, while the microbiology was funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation.
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