Pedosphere 17(1): 36--43, 2007
ISSN 1002-0160/CN 32-1315/P
©2007 Soil Science Society of China
Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press
Nodule formation and development in soybeans (Glycine max L.) in response to phosphorus supply in solution culture
MIAO Shu-Jie1,2,3, QIAO Yun-Fa1, HAN Xiao-Zeng1 and M. AN4
1 Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin 150081 (China). E-mail: miaoshujie@126.com
2 Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology of Ministry of Education, Harbin 150030 (China)
3 Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China)
4 E. H. Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, NSW Department of Primary Industries&Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW2650 (Australia)
ABSTRACT
      Phosphorus (P) is necessary for growth and nitrogen fixation, and thus its deficiency is a major factor limiting legume production in most agricultural soils. The effect of phosphorus supply on nodule development and its role in soybeans (Glycine max L.) was studied in a nutrient solution. Plants were inoculated with Bradyrhizobium japonicum and grown for 35 days in a glasshouse at a day and night temperature of 25 ℃ and 15 ℃, respectively. Although increasing P supply increased the concentrations of P and N in the shoots and roots, the external P supply did not significantly affect the P concentration in the nodules, and the N fixed per unit nodule biomass decreased with increasing P supply. The nitrogen content in the shoots correlated well with the P content (r = 0.92**). At an inoculation level of 102 cells mL-1, the P supply did not affect the number of nodules; however, at inoculation levels of 103.5 and 105 cells mL-1, increasing P supply increased both the number and size of nodules. Irrespective of the inoculation level, increasing P supply increased the nodule biomass relative to the biomass of the host plant. It is suggested that the P deficiency specifically inhibited the nodule development and thereby the total N2 fixation.
Key Words:  inoculation level, nitrogen fixation, nodulation, phosphorus, soybeans
Citation: Miao, S. J., Qiao, Y. F., Han, X. Z. and An, M. 2007. Nodule formation and development in soybeans (Glycine max L.) in response to phosphorus supply in solution culture. Pedosphere. 17(1): 36-43.
View Full Text



Copyright © 2024 Editorial Committee of PEDOSPHERE. All rights reserved.
Address: P. O. Box 821, 71 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, China    E-mail: pedosphere@issas.ac.cn
Technical support: Beijing E-Tiller Co.,Ltd.