Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Bradyrhizobium Co-Inoculation Enhances Nitrogen Fixation and Growth of Green Grams (Vigna Radiata L.) Under Water Stress
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Date
2020
Authors
Musyoka, Daniel Mumo
Njeru, Ezekiel Mugendi
Nyamwange, Methuselah Mang’erere
Maingi, John M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Abstract
Green gram (Vigna radiata L. Wildzek) is a neglected crop with great
potential to boost food security among small scale farmers. Inoculation
of this crop with beneficial soil microbiota can sustainably improve its production especially under water stress conditions. Here, we aimed at determining the effect of bradyrhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)
co-inoculation on growth and nitrogen fixation of green grams under
water stress conditions. Potted green grams variety KS20 were planted in
sterilized soil and inoculated with Bradyrhizobium, Funneliformis mosseae,
Rhizophagus irregularis, a commercial consortium of four AMF isolates
(Rhizophagus irregularis, Funneliformis mosseae, Glomus etunicatum and
Glomus aggregatum) and a consortium of the four aforementioned AMF
isolates and Bradyrhizobium. The plants were subjected to three water
stress levels, irrigation after interval of 4 days, 8 days and 12 days and
maintained for 50 days. After harvesting, the plants were measured for
nodulation, percentage root mycorrhizal colonization, growth parameters
and shoot nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K). Remarkably, all
AMF inoculations significantly P 0.05 increased shoot dry weight (SDW),
root dry weight (RDW) and P compared to Bradyrhizobium and control
plants under all the watering regimes. Inoculation with Rhizophagus
irregularis resulted to highest shoot dry weight, root dry weight and P
under water regime 3, which provided the most intense water stress
condition. Moreover, strong positive correlation (R2 ¼ 0.8765, P ¼ 0.006)
was observed between shoot dry weight, P and AMF root colonization
under all watering regimes.
Description
A research article published in Journal of Plant Nutrition
Keywords
Bradyrhizobium, Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Green grams, Agroecosystem resilience
Citation
Daniel Mumo Musyoka, Ezekiel Mugendi Njeru, Methuselah Mang’erere Nyamwange & John M. Maingi (2020) Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Bradyrhizobium coinoculation enhances nitrogen fixation and growth of green grams (Vigna radiata L.) under water stress, Journal of Plant Nutrition, 43:7, 1036-1047, DOI: 10.1080/01904167.2020.1711940