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Effect of combined nitrogen on nitrogen fixation of soybean (Glycine max L. Merill.) as affected by cultivar and rhizobial strain

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Abstract

Nine strains ofRhizobium japonicum (Bradyrhizobium japonicum) were screened for nitrogen fixation in combination with two cultivars of soybean, Chippewa and Dunadja at two levels of nitrogen fertilization,i.e. 20 kg N ha−1 and 100 kg N ha−1 using15N isotope dilution method. Plant dry weight, nitrogen yield, percent N derived from atmosphere (% Ndfa) and total amount of N2 fixed were strongly influenced by the specific combination of host-genotype and rhizobial strain. The interaction between the host and microsymbiont were so specific that accurate prediction of symbiotic performance of either partner in relation to a particular host or strain of Rhizobium appears impossible. The sensitivity of nitrogen fixation to combined nitrogen was furthermore dependent upon both the rhizobial strain and host-Rhizobium association. It is therefore, inadvisable to describe a certain bacterium as being fully effective/ineffective or sensitive/tolerant to combined nitrogen, except in relation to a particular host-genotype. There is scope for obtaining promising host-Rhizobium associations tolerant to combined nitrogen through exploiting the interactive effects between the host-genotypes and strains of Rhizobium.

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Senaratne, R., Amornpimol, C. & Hardarson, G. Effect of combined nitrogen on nitrogen fixation of soybean (Glycine max L. Merill.) as affected by cultivar and rhizobial strain. Plant Soil 103, 45–50 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02370666

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02370666

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