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Rhizomatous Birdsfoot Trefoil Exhibits a Unique Response to Nitrogen‐Free Conditions
Author(s) -
Kallenbach Robert L.,
McGraw Robert L.,
Beuselinck Paul R.,
Balatti Pedro A.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1998.00021962009000050022x
Subject(s) - lotus corniculatus , rhizobia , trefoil , biology , rhizome , seedling , inoculation , cultivar , microbial inoculant , nitrogen fixation , agronomy , botany , horticulture , bacteria , genetics
New genotypes of birdsfoot trefoil ( Lotus corniculatus L.) from Morocco exhibit rhizomes, but little is known about their N 2 ‐fixation characteristics. Our objective was to evaluate the N 2 ‐fixation capacity of rhizomatous birdsfoot trefoil infected by native rhizobia or by strains used in commercial inoculants. An additional objective was to assess the N 2 ‐fixing potential of two Moroccan isolates, R.L. 5797 and R.L. 5758, on commercial cultivars of birdsfoot trefoil. Seedlings of ‘Norcen’, ‘AU Dewey’, and a Moroccan rhizomatous entry, designated ‘RBRC’, were individually inoculated with commercial strains BFT027, BFT028, BFT030, 1710‐2, CB756, or strains R.L. 5797 or R.L. 5758. Control treatments were noninoculated seedlings with or without supplemental N. Surprisingly, the seedling mass of RBRC was equal ( P > 0.05) for all treatments. Norcen exhibited its greatest seedling mass when inoculated with strain BFT027; AU Dewey, with strain R.L. 5797. The rhizomatous RBRC did not show specificity for native Moroccan isolates of rhizobia, but these isolates effectively nodulated the commercial cultivars of birdsfoot trefoil.