La simbiosis Rhizobium-Prosopis en el Chaco Arido argentino / [The Rhizobium-Prosopis symbiosis in the Argentinian Chaco Arido]

ABSTRACT

Low productivity soils can be improved by incorporation of adapted legumes species able to increase the nitrogen fixation when associated to Rhizobium strains. Two fast-growing Rhizobium strains were isolated from nodules of Prosopis alba. Infectivity and effectivity of the strains were assessed under controlled conditions, measuring the following parameters nodule number, dry weight, nitrogen percentage and fixed nitrogen. P. flexuosa strains showed high infective capacity (144 nodules/plant) but low effectivity (21.4 mg fixed nitrogen in 75 days). Although nodule number in P. alba was lower (23 nodules/plant) nitrogen fixation was higher (119.5 mg fixed nitrogen in 75 days) as compared with P. flexuosa. The isolated strains might be used as nitrogen donors in aride soils; they might be helpful to forestation of these ecosystems.