Skip to main content
Log in

Inoculation withGlomus mosseae improves N2 fixation by field-grown soybeans

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

Summary

A field study carried out in a sandy, relatively acid Senegalese soil with a low soluble P content (7 ppm) and low vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) populations showed that soybean responded toGlomus mosseae inoculation when the soluble P level in the soil had been raised by the addition of 22 kg P ha−1. In P-fertilized plots, N2 fixation of soybean, assessed by the A value method, was 109 kg N2 fixed hat when plants were inoculated withRhizobium alone and it reached 139 kg N2 fixed ha−1 when plants were dually inoculated withRhizobium andGlomus mosseae using an alginate bead inoculum. In addition to this N2 fixation increase (+28%),Glomus mosseae inoculation significantly improved grain yield (+13%) and total N content of grains (+16%). This success was attributed mainly to the low infection potential of the native VAM populations in the experimental site. In treatments without solubleP or with rock phosphate, no effect of VAM inoculation was observed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbott LK, Robson AD (1978) Growth of subterranean clover in relation to the formation of endomycorrhizas by introduced and indigenous fungi in a field soil New Phytol 81:575–585

    Google Scholar 

  • Abbott LK, Robson AD (1981) Infectivity and effectiveness of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: effect of inoculum type. Aust J Agric Res 32:631–639

    Google Scholar 

  • Bagyaraj DJ, Manjunath A, Patil RB (1979) Interaction between a vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza andRhizobium and their effects on soybean in the field. New Phytol 82:141–146

    Google Scholar 

  • Barea JM, Escudero JL, Azcon-G de Aguilar C (1980) Effects of introduced and indigenous VA mycorrhiza fungi on nodulation, growth and nutrition ofMedicago sativa in phosphate-fixing soils as affected by P fertilizers. Plant Soil 54:283–296

    Google Scholar 

  • Carling DE, Brown MF (1980) Relative effect of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the growth and yield of soybeans (Glycine max). Soil Sci Soc Amer J 44:528–532

    Google Scholar 

  • Carling DE, Brown MF, Brown FA (1979) Colonization rates and growth responses of soybean plants infected by vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Can J Bot 57:1769–1772

    Google Scholar 

  • Diem HG, Jung G, Mugnier J, Ganry F, Dommergues Y.R. (1981) Alginate-entrappedGlomus mosseae for crop inoculation. In: Proc 5th Nacom. University Laval, Quebec, p 23

    Google Scholar 

  • Fried M, Broeshart H (1975) An independent measurement of the amount of nitrogen fixed by a legume crop. Plant Soil 43:707–711

    Google Scholar 

  • Ganry F, Diem HG, Dommergues YR (1982) Effect of inoculation withGlomus mosseae on nitrogen fixation by field grown soybeans. Plant Soil 68:321–329

    Google Scholar 

  • Gianinazzi-Pearson V, Diem HG (1982) Endomycorrhizae in the tropics. In: Dommergues YR, Diem HG (eds) Microbiology of tropical soils and plant productivity. Nijhoff/Junk, The Hague, pp 209–251

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall IR (1979) Soil pellets to introduce vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi into soil. Soil Biol Biochem 11:85<-86

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayman DS, Morris EJ, Page RJ (1981) Methods for inoculating field crops with mycorrhizal fungi. Ann Appl Biol 99:247–253

    Google Scholar 

  • Howeler RH, Cadavid LF, Burckhardt E (1982) Response of Cassava to VA mycorrhizal inoculation and phosphorus application in greenhouse and field experiments. Plant Soil 69:327–339

    Google Scholar 

  • Islam R, Ayanaba A (1981) Growth and yield responses of cowpea and maize to inoculation withGlomus mosseae in sterilized soil under field conditions. Plant Soil 63:505–509

    Google Scholar 

  • Islam R, Ayanaba A, Sanders FE (1980) Response of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) to inoculation with VA-mycorrhizal fungi and to rock phosphate fertilization in some unsterilized Nigerian soils. Plant Soil 54:107–117

    Google Scholar 

  • Kucey RMN, Paul EA (1982) Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal populations in various Saskatchewan soils and the effect of inoculation withGlomus mosseae on Faba bean growth in greenhouse and field trials. Can J Soil Sci 63:87–95

    Google Scholar 

  • Lagacherie B, Hugot R, Amarger N (1977) Selection ofRhizobium japonicum strains on their competitiveness for infection. Ann Agron 28:379–390

    Google Scholar 

  • Menge JA, Timmer LW (1980) Procedures for inoculation of plants with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae in the laboratory, greenhouse, and field. In: Schenck NC (ed) Methods and principles of mycorrhizal research. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, Minnesota, pp 59–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Mosse B, Powell CL, Hayman DS (1976) Plant growth responses to vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza. IX. — Interactions between VA Mycorrhiza, rock phosphate and symbiotic nitrogen fixation. New Phytol 76:331–342

    Google Scholar 

  • Ollivier B, Bertheau Y, Diem HG, Gianinazzi-Pearson V. (1983) Influence de la variété deVigna unguiculata C. Walp dans l'expression de trois association endomycorrhizienne à vésicules et arbuscules. Can J Bot 61:354–358

    Google Scholar 

  • Owusu-Bennoah E, Mosse B (1979) Plant growth responses to vesicular- arbuscular mycorrhiza. XI. Field inoculation responses in barley, lucerne and onion. New Phytol 83:671–680

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillips JM, Hayman DS (1970) Improved procedure for clearing roots and staining parasitic and vesicular- arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi for rapid assessment of infection. Trans Brit Mycol Soc 55:158–161

    Google Scholar 

  • Porter WM (1979) The ‘most probable number’ method for enumerating infective propagules of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in soil Aust J Soil Res 17:515–519

    Google Scholar 

  • Powell CL, Groters M, Metcalfe D (1980) Mycorrhizal inoculation of a barley crop in the field. NZJ Agr Res 23:107–109

    Google Scholar 

  • Quidet P, Masmejean T (1962) Organisation, conduite et interprétation des essais fumure. Services Agronomiques de la Society Commerciale des Potasse d'alsace. SEDA, Paris, p 108

    Google Scholar 

  • Schenck NC, Smith GS (1982) Responses of six species of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and their effects on soybean at four soil temperatures. New Phytol 92:193–201

    Google Scholar 

  • Sprent JI (1975) Nitrogen fixation by legumes subjected to water and light stresses. In: Nutman PS (ed) Symbiotic nitrogen fixation in plants. Cambridge University Press, London, New York, pp 405–420

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson JM, Trinick MJ (1983) Infection development and interactions between vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. New Phytol 93:543–553

    Google Scholar 

  • Witty JF, Hayman DS (1978) Slurry inoculation of VA mycorrhiza. Rothamsted Experimental Station Report for 1977, Part 1:239–240

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ganryl, F., Diem, H.G., Wey, J. et al. Inoculation withGlomus mosseae improves N2 fixation by field-grown soybeans. Biol Fert Soils 1, 15–23 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00710966

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00710966

Key words

Navigation