Symbiotic nitrogen fixation : prospects for enhanced application in tropical agriculture

In addition to their Nitrogen (N2)-fixing capacity legumes are extremely important in human and animal diets, significantly improving household health standards. This book is based on the proceedings of the workshop (“International Workshop on Biological Nitrogen Fixation for Increased Crop Productivity, Enhanced Human Health and Sustained Soil Fertility,” 2002, at ENSAM-INRA, Montpellier, France), takes a holistic approach to harnessing legume Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) technologies, starting from a socioeconomic perspective, and progressing to agronomic and genetic options, bringing together innovative aspects and participatory research strategies

Calidad de fruto y aceite de olivos maduros en condiciones de cultivo de secado parcial de la zona radical

This study was conducted to evaluate the quantitative and qualitative effects of partial rootzone drying (PRD) irrigation on olive trees and their fruit and oil quality. Olive trees of the Moroccan Picholine variety were grown under arid conditions in Marrakech, and exposed to four irrigation treatments: Control (irrigated with 100 % of the crop evapotranspiration, on the two sides of the root system), PRD1 (irrigated with 50 % of the control, on one side of the root system, switching every two weeks), PRD2 (irrigated with 50 % of the control, on one side of the root system, switching every four weeks) and PRD3 (irrigated with the same amount of water as the control applied on one side of the root system, switching every two weeks). The individual fruit weight, dimensions and oil contents were generally greater under PRD than the control. Whereas, the fruit water content was lower under PRD1 and PRD2 than the control and PRD3. Oil acidity was not affected by irrigation, while the total polyphenol content, which affects the oxidative stability and sensory characteristics of the oil, increased in response to the PRD irrigation, especially under PRD1 (246.0 ppm) and PRD2 (278.5 ppm) treatments, against 148.4 ppm and 101.8 ppm for PRD3 and the control respectively. This increase could explain the oil bitterness observed under PRD1 and PRD2. The fatty acid composition was not affected by PRD1 and PRD2. The oil quality based on UV absorption coefficients (K232 and K270) decreased significantly under PRD2. Chlorophyll content and maturity index were antagonistic, and olive ripeness was found to be precocious under PRD irrigation treatments compared to the control.Este estudio fue realizado para evaluar los efectos cuantitativos y cualitativos de la irrigación de olivos por secado parcial de la zona radical (PRD) sobre la calidad de su fruto y de su aceite. Los olivos de la variedad marroquí Picholine fueron cultivados en condiciones áridas en Marrakech, y expuestos a cuatro tratamientos de irrigación: Control (irrigado con el 100 % de la evapotranspiración de la cosecha, en los dos lados del sistema radical), PRD1 (irrigado con el 50 % del control, en sólo un lado del sistema radical, cambiando cada dos semanas), PRD2 (irrigado con el 50 % del control, en un lado del sistema radical, cambiando cada cuatro semanas) y PRD3 (irrigado con la misma cantidad del agua que el control aplicado en un lado del sistema radical, cambiando cada dos semanas). El peso individual del fruto, sus dimensiones y el contenido en aceite fueron generalmente mayores bajo PRD que en el control. Mientras que, el contenido de agua de la aceituna fue inferior en PRD1 y PRD2 que en el control y en PRD3. La acidez del aceite no se afectó por el régimen de irrigación, mientras que el contenido total de polifenoles, que afecta a la estabilidad oxidativa y a las características sensoriales del aceite, aumentó en respuesta a la irrigación mediante PRD, sobre todo con los tratamientos PRD1 (246.0 ppm) y PRD2 (278.5 ppm), frente a los 148.4 ppm y 101.8 ppm de PRD3 y el control, respectivamente. Este aumento podría explicar el amargor del aceite obtenida con PRD1 y PRD2. La composición de ácidos grasos no fue afectada por PRD1 Y PRD2. La calidad del aceite basada en los coeficientes de absorción UV (K232 y K270) disminuyó considerablemente con PRD2. El contenido de clorofila resultó antagonista del índice de madurez, y éste último se desarrolló más precozmente en los tratamientos de irrigación PRD que en el control

Soybean N2 Fixation Estimates, Ureide Concentration, and Yield Responses to Drought

Increasing N2 fixation tolerance to drought has been hindered by the labor and costs of quantifying N2 fixation using 15N methodologies. The relative abundance of ureides (RAU) in plant tissues has been used for estimating N2 fixation in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] grown under well-watered conditions, but it has not been evaluated for drought conditions. The present research evaluated the response of N accumulation to N fertilization, the ability of the RAU technique to predict N2 fixation under drought conditions, and the response of yield to N fertilization under well-watered and drought conditions. Under drought, shoot N accumulation rate during vegetative growth approximately doubled as the amount of N fertilizer was increased from 10 to 200 kg N ha(-1), indicating a greater sensitivity of N2 fixation to drought than uptake and assimilation of inorganic N. Under well-watered conditions, the relationship between estimates of N2 fixation made by 15N-dilution and RAU agreed within 15% of published reports. Under drought conditions, however, this relationship was greatly different (13 to 43%) from published reports. Fertilization with inorganic N in 1 yr increased grain yield 15 to 25% for the drought treatment and 12 to 15% for the well-watered treatment. In a second year, N fertilization increased yield of both drought and well-watered treatments approximately 9%. This research indicates that the RAU technique for estimating N2 fixation under drought conditions may be invalid without further refinement, that N2 fixation is more sensitive to drought than the uptake and assimilation of inorganic soil N, and that increasing the tolerance of N2 fixation to drought would likely result in yield increases

Variability of root length density and its contributions to seed yield in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under terminal drought stress

The importance of root systems in acquiring water has long been recognized as crucial to cope with drought conditions. This investigation was conducted to: (i) evaluate the variability on root length density (RLD) of chickpea in the vegetative growth stage; (ii) estimate the effect of RLD on seed yield under terminal drought conditions; and (iii) set up a procedure to facilitate the screening of chickpea genotypes with large RLD. Twelve diverse chickpea genotypes were grown in tall PVC cylinders with two different soil water treatments in 2000 and 2001, and in field under water deficit conditions during 2000/2001 and 2001/2002. In field trials, the mean RLD at 35 days after sowing showed a significant positive correlation with seed yield in both years. Similarly, the RLD in the 15-30 cm soil depth had significant positive effects to the seed yield in both years. The importance of the root trait was particularly relevant in 2001/2002, a more severe drought year, when the RLD in deeper soil layer, 30-60 cm depth, showed a significant positive relationship with seed yield. Also, the RLD at deeper soil layer, 30-60 cm depth, was higher in 2001/2002 than in 2000/2001, in particular in tolerant genotypes. The PVC cylinder trials were set up to facilitate the screening of chickpea genotypes with large RLD. RLD of plants grown in cylinders with 70% field capacity was correlated with RLD in the field trials (r=0.731; p=0.01). This work highlights the importance of roots in coping with terminal drought in chickpea. The cylinder system offers a much easier procedure to screen chickpea genotypes with large RLD

Screening pearl millet germplasm for tolerance to soil salinity

Saline soils account for up to 580 million ha worldwide and are widespread In arid and semi-arid regions (Rengasamy 2002). Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum) is often grown In saline soils and Is known to be relatively better In tolerance to salinity than other crops, particularly maize (Zea mays) or legumes (Ashrafand McNeilly 1987, Dua 1989). However, a well-focused search can lead to the Identification of genotypes with superior tolerance. Since pearl millet Is usually grown rainfed with minimum Input, It Is all the more Important to genetically Improve the adaptation of this crop to soil salinity. The Improved salinity tolerant lines together with cultural management options provide greater scope for Improving the crop productivity in these saline soils

Selective Phenotyping Traits Related to Multiple Stress and Drought Response in Dry Bean

Abiotic stress tolerance in dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is complex. Increased population sizes are contributing to finding QTL conditioning stress response but phenotyping has not kept pace with high throughput genotyping for such studies. Our objectives were to determine effectiveness of 20 most tolerant and 20 most susceptible lines representing phenotypic extremes from a RIL population (‘Buster’ x \u27Roza’ [BR]) to facilitate examination of 19 traits for relevance to stress response and to validate existing QTL conditioning stress response. Using phenotypic extremes tested across multiple trials, eight of the 19 traits were clearly associated with drought stress. Pod wall ratio (PW), plant biomass by weight or a visual rating, and greenness index (NDVI) were most associated with seed yield (SY) under stress followed by phenology traits. The phenotypic extreme lines were also useful for validating QTL previously identified in the whole RIL population conditioning SY, seed weight (SW) and days to flower (DF), harvest maturity (HM), and seed fill (DSF). New QTL were identified for biomass, PW, and NDVI which co-segregated with major QTL for seed yield SY1.1BR and SY2.1BR. The preliminary finding of NDVI 1.1BR supports aerial imaging in larger genetic populations geared toward QTL analysis of stress response. In summary, phenotypic extremes helped sort through traits relevant to stress response in the Buster x Roza RIL population and verified the effect of two major QTL in response to terminal drought