Population Level of Bean Rhizobia in the Soil of Semi-Arid South-East Kenya and Assessment of Symbiotic Behaviour

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorMaingi, J.M.
dc.contributor.authorShisanya, C.A.
dc.contributor.authorGitonga, N.M.
dc.contributor.authorHornetz, B.
dc.date.accessioned2015-06-03T08:57:46Z
dc.date.available2015-06-03T08:57:46Z
dc.date.issued2001
dc.descriptionResearch Articleen_US
dc.description.abstractThe major objective of this study was to investigate Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) in common bean in semi-arid south-east Kenya. The population of indigenous rhizobia specific to common bean was determined using the Most Probable Number (MPN) plant infection technique. The experimental design was randomised complete block design (RCBD) with four replications per treatment. The results of the MPN count indicated that the number of indigenous rhizobia resident in Kiboko soils, and specific to common bean were 2,037 - 14,850 rhizobia cells per gram of soil. Isolation carried out from the nodules indicated two different types of isolates. One has small and dry colonies (CIS), while the other one had large mucoid colonies (C2L). Presumptive and authentication tests confirmed these isolates as rhizobia. Indigenous rhizobia were isolated from the common beans grown in Kiboko soil and tested for ability to fix nitrogen in comparison to a commercially available Rhizobium strain 446 from MIRCEN, University of Nairobi. Results showed that infectivity in common bean with Rhizobium strain 446 was good (80 nodules/plant). Bisection of the nodules showed that only 32 % of them had an inner pink colour. This is an indication that a majority of the nodules were not effective in fixing nitrogen hence the need to frequently re-evaluate the homogeneity of the commercial strain 446. Greenhouse trials showed that isolate CIS was not effective in nitrogen fixation and that Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseoli strain 446 and C2L from MlRCEN and soils ofSE-Kenya, respectively, were superior in nitrogen fixation compared to CISen_US
dc.description.sponsorshipKenyatta Universityen_US
dc.identifier.citationEast African Journal of Science 3(1): 13-18 (2001)en_US
dc.identifier.issn1029-3221
dc.identifier.urihttp://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/12744
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherFaculty of Science Kenyatta Universityen_US
dc.subjectcommon beanen_US
dc.subjectRhizobiumen_US
dc.subjectsemi-ariden_US
dc.subjectsouth-east Kenyaen_US
dc.titlePopulation Level of Bean Rhizobia in the Soil of Semi-Arid South-East Kenya and Assessment of Symbiotic Behaviouren_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Population level of bean rhizobia....pdf
Size:
6.07 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Full Text Article
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
RP-Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology