Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-wq2xx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-19T04:09:39.169Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Assessment of the potential to improve N fixation by cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) in Ghanaian soils

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2009

J.O. Fening ,
W. Dogbe  and
S.K.A. Danso
J.O. Fening*
Affiliation:
Soil Microbiologist, Soil Research Institute, Academy Post Office, Kwadaso-Kumasi, Ghana;
W. Dogbe
Affiliation:
Agronomist, Savanna Agricultural Research Institute, Nyankpala-Tamale, Ghana;
S.K.A. Danso
Affiliation:
Professor, Department of Soil Science, University of Ghana, Legon-Accra, Ghana.
*
Corresponding author is J.O. Fening (soils@africaonline.com.gh).
Get access

Abstract

The potential to improve N fixation by cowpea in Ghanaian soils was examined through: (1) assessment of the natural nodulation of 45 cowpea cultivars in 20 soils sampled from 5 ecological zones; (2) determination of the numbers of cowpea bradyrhizobial isolates in the soils; and (3) determination of the response of cowpea to N fertilization. The ability of 45 cowpea cultivars to nodulate naturally in the various soils showed wide cultural adaptability. Counts of indigenous bradyrhizobia showed that most soils in Ghana contained large populations capable of nodulating cowpea. These ranged from 0.6 × 10 bradyrhizobia cells g soil−1 to 3.1 × 104 cells g soil−1, with 60% of the soils containing more than 103 cells g soil−1. Response of cowpea to N fertilization differed according to soil type. In general all cowpea cultivars showed significant response to increasing N fertilizer applications, indicating that N fixation was not providing the plants with sufficient N for maximum growth and yield. This study suggests that inoculation of cowpea with effective indigenous strains of bradyrhizobial species has considerable potential to improve this situation.

Keywords

cropping systemsfood legumesN fertilizationsoil fertility
Type
Articles
Information
American Journal of Alternative Agriculture , Volume 16 , Issue 2 , June 2001 , pp. 57 - 65
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2001

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Awonaike, K.O., Kumarasinghe, K.S., and Danso, S.K.A.. 1990. Nitrogen fixation and yield of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) as influenced by cultivar and Bradyrhizobium strain. Field Crops Res. 24:163–171.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.Brammer, H. 1962. Soils of Ghana. In Wills, J.B. (ed.). Agriculture and Land Use in Ghana. Oxford University Press, London, p. 88–126.Google Scholar
3.Bray, R.H., and Kurtz, L.T.. 1945. Determination of total, organic and available forms of phosphorus in soils. Soil Sci. 59:39–45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4.Bremner, J.M. 1960. Determination of nitrogen in soil by Kjeldahl method. J. Agric. Sci. 55:11–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5.Bumb, B.L. 1995. World nitrogen supply and demand: An overview. In Bacon, P.E. (ed.). Nitrogen Fertilization in the Environment. Marcel Dekker, New York. p. 101–103.Google Scholar
6.Buresh, R.J., Sanchez, P.A., and Calhoun, F.G. (eds.). 1997. Replenishing Soil Fertility in Africa. SSSA Spec. Pub. 51. Soil Science Society of America and American Society of Agronomy, Madison, WI.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7.Carroll, B.J., and Gresshoff, P.M.. 1983. Nitrate inhibition of nodulation and nitrogen fixation in white clover. Z. Pflanzenphysiol. 110:77–88.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.Carroll, B.J., and Mathews, A.. 1990. Nitrate inhibition of nodulation in legumes. In Gresshoff, P.M. (ed.). Molecular Biology of Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. p. 159–180.Google Scholar
9.Chapman, A.L., and Myers, R.J.K.. 1987. N2 contributed by grain legumes in rotation with rice on the Cununura soils of the Ord irrigation area, Western Australia. Aust. J. Exp. Agric. 27:155–163.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10.Cregan, P.B., Keyser, H.H., and Sadowsky, M.J.. 1989. Host plant effects on nodulation and competitiveness of the Bradyrhizobium japonicum serotype strains constituting serocluster 123. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 55:2532–2536.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Danso, S.K.A., and Alexander, M.. 1974. Survival of two Rhizobium strains in soil. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. Proc. 39:369–372.Google Scholar
12.Eardly, B.D., Hannaway, D.B., and Bottomley, P.J.. 1984. Nitrogen nutrition and yield of seedling alfalfa as affected by ammonium nitrate fertilization. Agron. J. 77:57–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13.George, T., Ladha, J.K., Buresh, R.J., and Garrity, D.P.. 1992. Managing native and legume-fixed N2 in lowland rice-based cropping systems. Plant Soil 141:69–91.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14.Hardarson, G., Golbs, M., and Danso, S.K.A.. 1989. Nitrogen fixation in soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) as affected by nodulation patterns. Soil Biol. Biochem. 21:783–787.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15.Hardarson, G., Zapata, F., and Danso, S.K.A.. 1984. Effects of plant genotype and nitrogen fertilizer on symbiotic nitrogen fixation by soybean cultivars. Plant Soil 82:397–405.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16.Marschner, H. 1986. Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants. Academic Press, New York. p. 195–200.Google Scholar
17.Munns, D.N., and Keyser, H.H.. 1981. Tolerance of rhizobia to acidity and phosphate. Soil. Sci. Soc. Amer. J. 34:519–523.Google Scholar
18.Peoples, M.B., and Craswell, E.T.. 1992. Biological nitrogen fixation: Investments, expectations and actual contributions to agriculture. Plant Soil 141:13–39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19.Peoples, M.B., Herridge, D.F., and Ladha, J.K.. 1995. Biological nitrogen fixation: An efficient source of nitrogen for sustainable agricultural production? Plant Soil 174:3–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20.Ruschel, A.P., Salati, E., and Vose, P.B.. 1979. Nitrogen enrichment of soil and plant by Rhizobium phaseoli-Phaseolus vulgaris symbiosis. Plant Soil 51:425–429.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21.Senaratne, R., Amornpinol, C., and Hardarson, G.. 1987. Effect of combined nitrogen on nitrogen fixation of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) as affected by cultivar and rhizobial strain. Plant Soil 103:45–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22.Somasegaran, P., and Hoben, H.J.. 1994. Handbook for Rhizobia: Methods in Legume-Rhizobium Technology. Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, Germany.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23.Stoorvogel, J.J., Smaling, E.M.A., and Janssen, B.H.. 1993. Calculating soil nutrient balances in Africa at different scales. I. Supra-national scale. Fert. Res. 35:227–235.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
24.Streeter, J.G. 1985. Nitrate inhibition of legume nodule growth and activity II. Short-term studies with high nitrate supply. Plant Physiol. 77:325–328.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25.Thies, J.E., Singleton, P.W., and Bohlool, B.B.. 1991. Influence of the size of indigenous rhizobial populations on establishment and symbiotic performance of introduced rhizobia on field-grown legumes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 57:19–28.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
26.USDA. 1975. Soil Taxonomy: A Basic System of Soil Classification for Making and Interpreting Soil Surveys. Agric. Handbook 436. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
27.Vincent, J.M. 1970. A Manual for the Practical Study of Root Nodule Bacteria. International Biological Programme Handbook. Blackwell Scientific, Oxford, U.K. p. 73–79.Google Scholar
28.Vincent, J.M. 1980. Factors controlling the legume-Rhizobium symbiosis. In Newton, W.E. and Orme-Johnson, W.H. (eds.). Nitrogen Fixation. Vol. 2. Symbiotic Associations and Cyanobacteria. University Park Press, Baltimore, MD. p. 101–129.Google Scholar
29.Walkley, A., and Black, C.A.. 1934. An examination of the Degtijareff method for determining soil organic matter and a proposed modification of the chromic and titration method. Soil Sci. 37:29–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
30.Weaver, R.W., and Frederick, L.R.. 1972. Effect of inoculum size on nodulation of Glycine max (L.) Merrill, variety Ford. Agron. J. 64:597–599.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
31.Woomer, P., Singleton, P.W., and Bohlool, B.B.. 1988. Ecological indicators of native rhizobia in tropical soils. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 54:1112–1116.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed