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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 48(4)

Improving lucerne nodulation at low pH: contribution of rhizobial and plant genotype to the nodulation of lucerne seedlings growing in solution culture at pH 5

N. Charman A C , R. A. Ballard A B , A. W. Humphries A B and G. C. Auricht A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A South Australian Research and Development Institute, Box 397, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.

B Cooperative Research Centre for the Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: charman.nigel@saugov.sa.gov.au

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 48(4) 512-517 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA07138
Submitted: 10 May 2007  Accepted: 18 October 2007   Published: 7 March 2008

Abstract

The effect of rhizobial strain and lucerne genotype on the nodulation of lucerne seedlings growing in solution cultures maintained at pH 5 was measured in two greenhouse experiments. Sinorhizobium strain SRDI291 increased the percentage of plants nodulated when compared with the commercial inoculant strain RRI128 (89% cf. 45% and 86% cf. 23% in the two experiments, respectively). Similarly, the mean number of nodules per nodulated plant (NNP) was greatest in the SRDI291 treatments (3.5 cf. 1.7 and 3.1 cf. 1.8). Plant genotype had fewer, but still significant effects on nodulation. Overall, lucerne genotype CRCSA29 had the highest percentage of plants forming nodules and most NNP (63% and 2.9); genotype L97a had the lowest (46% and 1.9). Greater variation in NNP occurred when the lucerne genotypes were inoculated with RRI128. Most notable was the better nodulation of CRCSA29 with 2.8 NNP compared with only 1.2 NNP for the two unselected genotypes (SARDI Ten and L97a). The lucerne genotypes typically had variable NNP, as exemplified in CRCSA29 inoculated with RRI128 where it ranged from 0–14, providing the opportunity for further plant selection. The work demonstrates that there remains substantial opportunity to increase the potential of lucerne to nodulate at low pH. Gains would appear to be most easily made by changing the strain of rhizobia that is used for inoculation.

Additional keywords: acidity, Medicago sativa, nodules, roots, Sinorhizobium meliloti.


Acknowledgements

Funds for this work were provided by the Cooperative Research Centre for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity and the Grains Research and Development Corporation and Australian Wool Innovation through the National Rhizobium Program. We thank Andrew Patterson for his excellent technical assistance.


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