Premium
Biological nitrogen fixation and biomass accumulation within poplar clones as a result of inoculations with diazotrophic endophyte consortia
Author(s) -
Knoth Jenny L.,
Kim SooHyung,
Ettl Gregory J.,
Doty Sharon L.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/nph.12536
Subject(s) - endophyte , diazotroph , nitrogen fixation , biology , bioenergy , agronomy , biomass (ecology) , inoculation , symbiosis , crop , nutrient , microbial inoculant , botany , biofuel , horticulture , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , ecology , genetics
Summary Sustainable production of biomass for bioenergy relies on low‐input crop production. Inoculation of bioenergy crops with plant growth‐promoting endophytes has the potential to reduce fertilizer inputs through the enhancement of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). Endophytes isolated from native poplar growing in nutrient‐poor conditions were selected for a series of glasshouse and field trials designed to test the overall hypothesis that naturally occurring diazotrophic endophytes impart growth promotion of the host plants. Endophyte inoculations contributed to increased biomass over uninoculated control plants. This growth promotion was more pronounced with multi‐strain consortia than with single‐strain inocula. Biological nitrogen fixation was estimated through 15 N isotope dilution to be 65% nitrogen derived from air (Ndfa). Phenotypic plasticity in biomass allocation and branch production observed as a result of endophyte inoculations may be useful in bioenergy crop breeding and engineering programs.