Summary
Thermotolerant strains ofRhizobium leguminosarum biovarphaseoli were isolated from nodules ofPhaseolus vulgaris grown in Kenyan soils, where high soil temperatures often exceed 40°C during sunny days. The isolates varied in their maximum growth laboratory temperature with two strains, 17 and 29B, able to grow at 42°C on yeast extract/mannitol agar media and at 40°C in liquid medium. These strains also survived better in moist clay soil at 38°C and 42°C and on seeds at room temperature but did not grow as well as several of the other strains at low pH. The thermotolerant strains nodulated three bean cultivars in a rooting medium that attained a daily maximum temperature of 36°C to 40°C but they varied in effectiveness according to the cultivar used.
Résumé
On a isolé des souches thermo-tolérantes deRhizobium leguminosarum biovarphaseoli de nodules dePhaseolus vulgaris developpés dans des sols du Kenya où la température haute du sol dépasse souvent 40°C, les jours ensoleillés. Les températures de croissance maximum au laboratoire varient d'un isolat à l'autre, avec deux souches, 17 et 29B, capables de croître à 42°C sur milieu gélosé à l'extrait de levure et au mannitol et à 40°C sur milieu liquide. Ces souches survivent également mieux en sol argileux humide respectivement à 38 et à 42°C, et sur semences à température ambiante mais ne croissent pas aussi bien que plusieurs autres souches à pH bas. Les souches thermo-tolérantes ont nodulé trois cultivars de fèves en milieux propices à la germination qui atteignaient une température diurne maximum de 36 à 40°C mais elles varient en efficacité selon le cultivar utilisé.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Amare, A. &Birhanu, A. 1985 Nitrogen fixation in twoPhaseolus vulgaris varieties at different rates of inoculation. InProceedings of 1st Conference of the African Association for Biological Nitrogen fixation in Africa, eds Ssali, H. & Keya S. O., pp. 313–323. Nairobi, Kenya: NairobiRhizobium MIRCEN.
Anyango, B., Keya, S. O. &Balasundaram, V. R. 1985 Assessment of filter mud as a carrier for legume seed inoculants. Physical-chemical properties andRhizobium phaseoli survival. InProceedings of the 1st Conference of the African Association for Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Africa, eds Ssali, H. & Keya, S. O., pp. 180–196. Nairobi, Kenya: NairobiRhizobium MIRCEN.
Boonkerd, N. &Weaver, R. W. 1982 Survival of cowpea rhizobia in soil affected by soil temperature and moisture.Applied and Environmental Microbiology 43, 583–589.
Bowen, G. D. &Kennedy, M. M. 1959 Effect of high soil temperature onRhizobium spp.Queensland Journal of Agricultural Science 16, 177–197.
Bradstreet, R. B. 1965 The Kjeldahl method for organic nitrogen. InOrgano-Nitrogen Compounds, pp. 169–234. New York: Academic Press.
Dart, P. J., Day, J., Dobereiner, J. &Islam, R. 1976 Symbiosis in tropical grain legumes; some effects of temperature and the composition of the rooting medium. InSymbiotic Nitrogen Fixation in Plants ed. Nutman, P. S., pp. 361–384. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Day, J. M., Roughley, R. J., Dye, M., Eaglesham, A. R. J. &White, S. P. 1978 Effect of high soil temperatures on nodulation of cowpeaVigna unguiculata.Annals of Applied Biology 88, 445–487.
Dennett, M. D. 1984 The tropical environment. InThe Physiology of Tropical Field Crops, eds Goldsworthy, R. P. and Fisher, N. M., pp. 1–38. New York: John Wiley.
Eaglesham, A. R. J. &Ayanaba, A. 1984 Tropical stress ecology of rhizobia root nodulation and legume fixation. InCurrent Developments in Biological Nitrogen Fixation, ed. Subba-Rao, N. S., pp. 1–34. India: Oxford and IBH Publishing Co..
Eaglesham, A. R. J., Seaman, B., Ahmed, H., Ayanaba, A., Haussouna, S. &Molongoy, K. 1981 High temperature tolerant ‘cowpea’ rhizobia. InCurrent Perspectives in Nitrogen Fixation, eds Gibson, A. H. and New, W. E., pp. 436–447. Canberra: Australian Academy of Sciences.
FAO 1985Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Production Year Book 39, 133–145.
Graham, P. H., Viteri, S. E., Mackie, F., Palacious, A. &Vargas, A. T. 1982 Variation in acid tolerance among strains ofRhizobium phaseoli.Field Crops Research 5, 121–128.
Lal, R. 1981 Management of soils for continuous production, controlling erosion and maintaining physical condition. InCharacterisation of Soil in Relation to their Classification and Management of Crop Production. Examples from some Areas of the Humid Tropics, ed. Greenland, D. J., pp. 188–189. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Marshall, K. C. 1964 Survival of root-nodule bacteria in dry soils exposed to high temperatures.Australian Journal of Agriculture Research 15, 273–281.
NairobiRhizobium MIRCEN 1985 Report to National Academy of Science and Technology, on Effects of Environmental Stress on Nitrogen Fixation by NairobiRhizobium MIRCEN. Obtainable from NairobiRhizobium MIRCEN. P.O. Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya.
Osa-Afiana, L. O. &Alexander, M. 1982 Differences among cowpea rhizobia in tolerance to high temperature and desiccation in soil.Applied and Environmental Microbiology 43, 435–439.
Soberon-Chavez, G., Najena, R., Olivera, H. &Segovia, L. 1986 Genetic re-arrangement ofRhizobium symbiotic plasmid.Journal of Bacteriology 167, 487–491.
Somasegaran, P. &Hoben, H. 1985The NifTAL Manual for Methods in legume-RhizobiumTechnology. Hawaii: NifTAL MIRCEN.
Ssali, H. &Mureria, N. 1982 Interaction between soil pH and bean variety.East Africa Agriculture and Forestry Journal 45, 41–47.
Vincent, J. M. 1970A Manual for the Practical Study of the Root Nodule Bacteria. IBP Handbook 15. Oxford: Blackwell.
Vincent, J. M. 1974 Root nodule symbiosis withRhizobium spp. InThe Biology of Nitrogen Fixation, ed. Quispel, A. pp. 499–520. Amsterdam: North-Holland.
Vincent, J. M. 1981 The genusRhizobium. InThe Prokaryotes. A Handbook on Habitats, Isolation and Identification of Bacteria, eds Starr P. M., Stoip, H., Truper, H., Balow, A. & Schiegel, G. H., Vol. 1, pp. 818–841. New York: Springer-Verlag.
Wilkins, J. 1967 The effects of high temperature on certain root-nodule bacteria.Australian Journal of Agriculture 18, 299–304.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was carried out at University of Nairobi under NairobiRhizobium MIRCEN, P.O. Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gitonga, N.M., Widdowson, D. & Keya, S.O. Interaction ofPhaseolus vulgaris with thermotolerant isolates ofRhizobium leguminosarum biovarphaseoli from Kenyan soils. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 5, 493–504 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01741825
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01741825