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Biological N-Fixation:
What is Biological N2 fixation?
“Reduction of Dinitrogen (N2) to NH3 through biological means is termed as Biological
Nitrogen Fixation”
Why reduction of N2 is necessary?
Though atmosphere contains 79% of N, eukaryotes cannot utilize the N directly,
unless it is reduced to NH3. Dinitrogen having triple bond and cannot be broken by higher
plants.
Broadly the BNF is divided into two groups
Symbiotic
Non Symbiotic
Symbiotic Nitrogen fixation may be of three different types
Legume Rhizobium
Cyanobacteria with plant/fungi
Frankia with trees
Non Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation can be divided into another three groups based on the
oxygen requirements
Aerobic free-living nitrogen fixation. example-Azotobacter,Bejeirinkia
Microaerophillic , for example Azospirillum
Anerobic free living , for example Clostridium, Desulfovibrio etc.
In all the BNF system it is the nitogenase enzyme play crucial role in reducing
dinitrogen to ammonia
What is Symbiosis?
“An intimate association between two different organisms for which the
coexistence is deemed to be mutually beneficial”
Rhizobium is symbiotic bacterium, occurs in the roots of different legumes &
pulses, produce nodules and fix atmospheric dinitrogen inside the nodules. This
Rhizobium present inside the nodule can be isolated and multiplied in laboratory .After
appropriate multiplication the Rhizobium is mixed with carrier material in aseptic
condition and used as biofertilizers for different pulse crops.
2
Though Rhizobium occurs naturally in soil, but in most of the cases, either their
population is highly insufficient or ineffective for proper nodulation traits. The low pH in
the North Eastern Region is not conducive for proper nodulation that limits the
Rhizobium cells to survive in adequate numbers in free living state. Under such situations
the legume crops need to be inoculated with specific strains of Rhizobium inoculants each
and every time.
Large numbers of field trials conducted over the years in India and abroad have
established that the crops inoculated with specific strains of Rhizobium benefits the crop
in many ways.
• Increases crop yield by 10-30%
• Reduce Chemical fertilizer by 50% Leave considerable residual N (3-8kg of per
bigha) after the harvest of the legume crop.
• Benefiting the succeeding crop
• Benefit the companion crop if grown along with legume as inter crop
Out of sixteen known elements, N play vital role in crop production. Due to
intensive agriculture and injudicious use of N through Chemical fertilizers jeopardize the
soil ecosystem. To sustain the fertility of soils, maintenance of appropriate N2 fixing
microflora is very essential .In this context, Azospirillum & Azotobacter play significant
role as renewable nutrient source especially nitrogen in sustainable agricultural
production.
3
Azospirillum
Bejerinck ,1901 first time isolated one aerobic N-fixing soil microorganisms and
termed as “Azotobacter”.This Azotobacter placed under the family “Bacteriaceae”by
Krasilnikov in 1956.In 1960 , Norris , replaced the family under the new name
Azotobacteriaceae. In recent classification based on 16S rRNA ,the members of the
family marged with Pseudomonadales under the family Pseudomonadaceae Till now
there are six different species of the genus Azotobacter
Homopolysaccharide Production
o Azotobacter chroccum,Azotobacter bejeirinkii and Azotobacter nigricans
produce diffusible homopolyssacharides from sucrose and raffinose
o Azotobacter armenicus produce polyssacharide from sucrose only
Pigmentation
o Azotobacter chrococcum produce black brown pigments
o Azotobacter armenicus produce yellow pigments
o Azotobacter bejeirinkii produce light yellow pigments
o Azotobacter paspali produce red to violet
Benefits of Azospirillum and Azotobacter inoculants
Gluconacetobacter:
Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus is an endophyte bacterium first isolated from
the sugarcane growing regions of Brazil. It was widely studied and used as a model
system to assess the bacterial endophyte– plant interactions. After its first discovery, it
was reported from variety of crops viz, coffee, ragi , pineapple and a latest report states
Gluconacetobacter sp. As a natural colonizer of the wild rice and a salt tolerant Pokali
rice variety . These reports clearly indicated the wide occurrence of G. diazotrophicus in
different plants .Besides N fixation this bacteria also producing different plant growth
promoting substances.By application of this organisms , the chemical fertilizer can be
reduced to about 50%.
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