Effects of Bradyrhizobium japonicum and Phosphorus Supplementation on the Productivity of Legumes

Abstract

Most soils in sub-Saharan Africa are depleted and lack important nutrients for proper plant growth and development. The declining trend of soil fertility pronounced in different parts of Africa is attributed to different factors such as continuous cropping without soil replenishment and land degradation leading to poor grain yield of legumes. Nitrogen and phosphorus are among the most limiting nutrients for plant growth as they play different roles in the biochemical processes of plants. Phosphorus is a fundamental component of substances that are building blocks of genes and chromosomes. Adequate supply of phosphorus is essential for development of new cells and the transfer of the genetic code from one cell to another during cell formation. Nitrogen is an essential constituent of plant cells at structural, genetic and metabolic levels, involved in many processes of plant growth and development leading to yield and quality of harvested organs. Traditionally, small-scale farmers use little or no farm-yard manure and chemical fertilizers to improve soil nutrition. However, these fertilizers are expensive to be afforded by small-scale farmers. The alternative to this is the use of cheap and easily applied biofertilizer such as Rhizobium bacteria that can fix atmospheric nitrogen to the form that can be taken by plants. The potential role of rhizobia inoculants and P application with respect to growth, nitrogen fixation, nutrient uptake, total leaf chlorophyll content, and grain yield of legumes

Genetic and symbiotic characterization of rhizobia nodulating legumes in a mining area in southeast Brazil

“…In addition, there was positive correlation of the SPAD index with SNC, which made it possible to use the values of this index as a rapid response in relation to shoot N content. Nyoki and Ndakidemi (2014) also cite the benefits of inoculation with rhizobia and their effect on chlorophyll formation, corroborating the data obtained in this study. Pastorini et al (2016) found no nodules on plants of Machaerium brasilense Vogel without inoculation at 90 days after transplanting to a substrate composed of a mixture of commercial organic substrate and sand (1:2).…”

Plant functional diversity improves short-term yields in a low-input intercropping system

“…Inoculation with Rhizobia is considered to benefit leguminous crops by increasing nodulation and N 2 fixation, and maximizing yields (Brockwell and Bottomley, 1995). Although the addition of inoculant may increase costs for the producer in the short-term, the long-term benefits in the form of increased yields may outweigh that initial cost (Nyoki and Ndakidemi, 2013). Additionally, re-seeding continued through the end of August in order to maximize the number of plants per species per plot.…”

Cowpea yield under the influence of cropping system, location and nitrogen fertilization

“…According to Chianu et al (2010), in agriculture adverse is taken of the ability to fix nitrogen by legume crops like soybean, cowpea and common beans, all of which generally have the ability to nodulate with a wide variety of rhizomes strains in the soil. According to Nyoki and Ndakidemi (2014) nitrogen fixation is of particular relevance in providing an important source of N, especially in Africa where fertilizers are often not affordable to smallholder farmers and where fertilizer input remains at a very low level. The study was conducted to determine the interaction effect of cropping system, location, season and nitrogen fertilizer on yield and yield components.…”