Naslov
First experiences in chickpea inoculation with indigenous rhizobia in Croatia

Autori
Sikora, Sanja ; Borovec, Petra ; Kajić, Sanja ; Toth, Nina ; Maričić, Branka

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
Book of Abstracts / - , 2022, 87-87

Skup
XXI International N workshop 2022

Mjesto i datum
Madrid, Španjolska, 23-28.10.2022

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Poster

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
Cicer arietinum L., PGPR, field trials, rhizobia

Sažetak
The application of beneficial microorganisms can significantly enhance agricultural sustainability and environment protection. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are among the most useful and promising microbial groups because of their beneficial effect on the overall well-being of the plants. PGPR represent a very diverse group of soil bacteria that also includes various nitrogen-fixing and phosphate solubilizing bacteria as well. Nitrogen fixation is a microbiological process in which molecular nitrogen is converted into available form for plants. Symbiotic associations between special group of nitrogen-fixing bacteria (rhizobia) and legumes have a unique role in agriculture because the utilization of this natural process enables significant reduction of mineral nitrogen fertilization. Like most other grain legumes, chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.) are a valuable source of proteins in a healthy diet and it is an important crop especially in the Mediterranean basin. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the beneficial effects of chickpea inoculation with indigenous strains of rhizobia and phosphate solubilizing bacteria under different environmental conditions. Field trials were set up at following locations in Croatia: i. continental part (Zagreb) and ii. Mediterranean part (Zadar-Petrčani). At location Zagreb, the inoculation with both rhizobial strains caused significant increase in nodule number and nodule dry weight in comparison with uninoculated plants. The inoculation with indigenous rhizobial isolate resulted in better nodulation and higher N content in plants in comparison with inoculation with reference strain. The effect of rhizobial inoculation on fresh plant biomass and total nitrogen content in plants was determined as well. These results strongly confirm the importance of strain selection in the use of inoculation. At location Zadar - Petrčani the effect of inoculation was not so expressed and the differences in nodulation, plant biomass and N content in plants were not significant. The reason for such results is in chickpea growing areas in Croatia since the chickpea is mostly grown in Mediterranean region while in other parts is only sporadically grown. The obtained results showed that the existence of natural populations of rhizobia in the soil can limit the success of inoculation. Different values for seed yield were determined depending on location and application of particular strain for inoculation. Further investigation is needed in order to select rhizobial strains with enhanced symbiotic performance which will enable reduction of mineral fertilizers and impact of unfavorable environmental conditions.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

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