Assessment of Nitrogen Fixation by Mungbean Genotypes in Different Soil Textures Using 15N Natural Abundance Method

Abstract

Ensuring food and nutritional security in light of high climate variability and a rapidly growing population remains a challenge. Mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) is a short duration, drought-tolerant, and ureide-exporting legume crop capable of symbiotic atmospheric nitrogen fixation. Estimates of biological N 2 fixation by mungbean in different soil textures have not been extensively studied. We conducted this study to evaluate plant growth and N 2 fixation of five mungbean genotypes (Berken, 8735, IC 8972-1, STB#122, 223) inoculated with Bradyrhizobium spp. and grown on loamy sand and silt loam soils under glasshouse conditions. Mungbean dry matter yield, δ 15 N values, shoot content, amounts of N-fixed, and soil N uptake were all higher on the silt loam soil compared to the loamy sand soil, demonstrating the effects of soil properties on plant growth and N 2 fixation potential. Among genotypes, IC 8972-1 produced the highest biomass (7.85 g plant −1), shoot N content (200 mg plant −1), and soil N uptake (155 mg plant −1) than other genotypes. The significant interaction between soil texture and genotypes for root dry matter and %Ndfa indicates the major role of legume root-nodule bacteria in symbiotic N 2 fixation. This study demonstrated that N 2 fixation in mungbean is affected by both genotypes and soil properties, illustrating the need to consider soil properties in order to maximize N contribution from mungbean to agricultural production systems.

The broad impacts of corn stover and wheat straw removal for biofuel production on crop productivity, soil health and greenhouse gas emissions: A review

“…The balance between stover removed to carbon returned to the system has to be considered to address economic concerns regarding short-term increases in nutrient removal rates and replacement costs (Battaglia, Groover, et al, 2018) for crop yield limiting nutrients such as N and P (Adeyemi et al, 2020;Adnan et al, 2020;Diatta et al, 2020;Ketterings & Czymmek, 2007). Blanco-Canqui and Lal (2009) found that only complete stover removal decreased N content in the soil, but this response was largely affected by soil texture.…”

Nano-Fertilization as an Emerging Fertilization Technique: Why Can Modern Agriculture Benefit from Its Use?

“…For example, the global production of synthetic fertilizers amounted to 188.2 Mt in 2019 ( Figure 1 ) [ 4 ], while the current application of pesticides is about 4 Mt in agricultural fields [ 5 ]. It is expected that this amount of agrochemicals will be increased in the near future to an amount that could feed 9.6 billion people by 2050 [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Synthetic chemical fertilizers are used for the optimal growth and productivity of crops, but, at present, adopted agricultural practices have not been particularly successful to simultaneously enhance plant nutrient uptake, nutrient use efficiency (NUE), and crop productivity [ 8 , 9 ].…”

“…However, in the long term, this intensive application of synthetic fertilizers can result in severe environmental risks such as air pollution, soil degradation, water eutrophication, and groundwater pollution [ 8 , 14 , 15 ]. Furthermore, the over-application of synthetic fertilizers increases the cost of their production and decreases the profit margin of farmers [ 7 , 8 ]. Low NUE values [ 16 ] and increased environmental risks [ 15 ] related to the use of more synthetic fertilizers has been a long-term limitation to achieve sustainability in agriculture [ 7 , 17 ].…”

“…Furthermore, the over-application of synthetic fertilizers increases the cost of their production and decreases the profit margin of farmers [ 7 , 8 ]. Low NUE values [ 16 ] and increased environmental risks [ 15 ] related to the use of more synthetic fertilizers has been a long-term limitation to achieve sustainability in agriculture [ 7 , 17 ]. Higher release levels of synthetic fertilizers than plant uptake levels or changes of the forms of nutrients into those which are not bioavailable to plants are typically the main result of low NUE values.…”

“…In this context, there is a scientific curiosity for the production of novel sources of fertilizers with the aim of increasing fertilizer use efficiency [ 22 ]. From a sustainable agriculture perspective, nanotechnology has the potential to develop new innovative types of fertilizers such as nanofertilizers (NFs) to increase global food production to feed the increasing world population [ 7 , 21 , 23 ].…”