Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T19:30:44.507Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Growth, Nodulation and Nitrogen Fixation in Stylosanthes: Effect of Different Root Temperatures at two Shoot Temperatures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2008

R. A. Date  and
D. Ratcliff
R. A. Date
Affiliation:
Division of Tropical Crops and Pastures, CSIRO, 306 Carmody Road, St Lucia, Queensland 4067, Australia
D. Ratcliff
Affiliation:
Division of Mathematics and Statistics, CSIRO, 306 Carmody Road, St Lucia, Queensland 4067, Australia
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Nodulated plants of Stylosanthes hamata, S. guianensis, S. humilis, S. scabra and S. fruticosa were grown in controlled environments with varied root and shoot temperatures. Measurement of dry matter and nitrogen content suggested that shoot temperature may be more important than root temperature in controlling growth and nitrogen fixation. There were strong interactions with variety. A fall in relative growth rate with increase in shoot temperature was least for S. guianensis and greatest for S. hamata and S. scabra. The optimum root temperature for growth and nitrogen fixation was approximately 30°C. Ninety percent maximum yield was achieved between root temperatures of 15–36°C for growth and 23–34°C for nitrogen fixation but varied with variety. Nitrogen fixation was more sensitive than dry weight to root temperature. The pattern of response of percentage nitrogen and nitrogen fixation efficiency reflected those for dry weight and nitrogen yields. Shoot to root ratios decreased toward the optimum root temperature then increased at the highest temperature. The reaction of varieties to root and shoot temperatures may be an important factor in determining their suitability for new regions.

Type
Research Article
Information
Experimental Agriculture , Volume 25 , Issue 4 , October 1989 , pp. 447 - 460
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

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

REFERENCES

Burt, R. L., Edye, L. A., Williams, W. T., Gillard, P., Grof, B., Page, M., Shaw, N. H., Williams, R. J. & Wilson, G. P. M. (1974). Small-sward testing of Stylosanthes in northern Australia: Preliminary considerations. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 25:559–575.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cook, S. J. & Russell, J. S. (1983). The climate of seven CSIRO Field Stations in Northern Australia. CSIRO, Div. Trop. Crops and Pastures, Tech. Pap. No. 25.Google Scholar
Dart, P. J. & Mercer, F. V. (1965). The effect of growth temperature, level of ammonium nitrate, and light intensity on the growth and nodulation of cowpea (Vigna sinensis). Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 16:321–345.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Date, R. A. & Norris, D. O. (1984). Supplement to ‘Rhizobium screening of Stylosanthes for effectiveness in nitrogen fixation [Date, R. A. and Norris, D. O. (1979) Australia Journal of Agricultural Research, 30, 85–104]’. List of host accessions and strains of Rhizobium forming effective nitrogen fixing associations. CSIRO, Division of Tropical Crops and Pastures. Genetic Resources Communication No. 7.Google Scholar
Day, J. M., Roughley, R. J., Eaglesham, A. R. J., Dye, M. & White, S. P. (1978). Effect of high soil temperatures on nodulation of cowpea, Vigna unguiculata. Annals of Applied Biology 88:476–481.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Edye, L. A., Field, J. B. & Cameron, D. F. (1975). Comparison of some Stylosanthes species in the dry tropics of Queensland. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 15:655–662.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Edye, L. A., Field, J. B., Bishop, H. G., Hall, R. L., Prinsen, J. H. & Walker, B. (1976). Comparison of some Stylosanthes species at three sites in central Queensland. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 16:715–722.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gardener, C. J. (1978). Seedling growth characteristics of Stylosanthes. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 29:803–813.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gibson, A. H. (1963). Physical environment and symbiotic nitrogen fixation. I. The effect of root temperature on recently nodulated Trifolium subterraneum plants. Australian Journal of Biological Sciences 16:28–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gibson, A. H. (1971). Factors in the physical and biological environment affecting nodulation and nitrogen fixation by legumes. Plant and Soil Special Vol.: 139–152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Joffe, A., Weyer, F. & Saubert, S. (1961). The role of root temperature in symbiotic nitrogen fixation. South African Journal of Science 57:278–280.Google Scholar
Kalma, J. D. (1971). The annual course of air temperature and near-surface soil temperature in a tropical savannah environment. Agricultural Meteorology 8:293–303.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kuo, T. & Boersma, L. (1971). Soil water suction and root temperature effects on nitrogen fixation in soybeans. Agronomy Journal 63:901–904.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leopold, A. C. & Kriedemann, P. E. (1964). Plant Growth and Development. McGraw-Hill Book Company N.Y.Google Scholar
't, Mannetje L. & Pritchard, A. J. (1974). The effect of daylength and temperature on introduced legumes and grasses for the tropics and subtropics of coastal Australia. I. Dry matter production, tillering and leaf area. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 14:173–181.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Matthews, D. J. & Hayes, P. (1982). Effect of root zone temperature on early growth, nodulation and nitrogen fixation in soyabeans. Journal of Agricultural Science (Camb.) 98:371–376.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Munevar, F. & Wollum, A. G. II (1981). Effect of high root temperature and Rhizobium strain on nodulation, nitrogen fixation, and growth of soybeans. Soil Science Society of America Journal 45:1113–1120.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ng, T. T., Wilson, J. R. & Ludlow, M. M. (1975). Influence of water stress on water relations and growth of a tropical (C4) grass, Panicum maximum var. trichoglume. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 2:581–595.Google Scholar
Noggle, G. R. & Fritz, G. J. (1976). Introductory Plant Physiology. Englewood Prentice, N.J.Prentice Hall Biological Sciences Series.Google Scholar
Norris, D. O. & Date, R. A. (1976). Legume bacteriology. In Tropical Pasture Research: Principles and Methods. (Eds Shaw, N. H. and Bryan, W. W.), 134–174. Bull. Commonw. Bur. Past. Fid. Crops No. 51.Google Scholar
Pankhurst, C. E. & Layzell, D. B. (1984). The effect of bacterial strain and temperature changes on the nitrogenase activity of Lotas pedunculatus root nodules. Physiologia Planta 62:404–409.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Possingham, J. V., Moye, D. V. & Anderson, A. J. (1964). Influence of elevated shoot and root temperature on nitrogen fixation. Plant Physiology 39:561–563.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ranga, Rao V. (1977a). Effect of root temperature on the infection processes and nodulation in Lotus and Stylosanthes. Journal of Experimental Botany 28:241–259.Google Scholar
Ranga, Rao V. (1977b). Effect of root temperature on the nitrogenase activity of intact and detached nodules in Lotus and Stylosanthes. Journal of Experimental Botany 28:261–267.Google Scholar
Vincent, J. M. (1970). A Practical Manual for the Study of the Root-nodule Bacteria. IBP Handbook No. 15. London: Blackwells Scientific Press.Google Scholar