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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Mayaguez, Puerto Rico » Tropical Crops and Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #266275
Title: Speed of nodulation of UMR 1899 and UMR 1597 in common bean breeding lines

Author
item ESTEVEZ DE JENSEN, C - University Of Puerto Rico
item FARIA, O. - University Of Puerto Rico
item Porch, Timothy - Tim
item BEAVER, JAMES - University Of Puerto Rico

Submitted to: Bean Improvement Cooperative Annual Report
Publication Type: Research Notes
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/21/2011
Publication Date: 3/25/2011
Citation: Estevez De Jensen, C., Faria, O., Porch Clay, T.G., Beaver, J.S. 2011. Speed of nodulation of UMR 1899 and UMR 1597 in common bean breeding lines. Bean Improvement Cooperative Annual Report. 54:168-169.

Interpretive Summary: Low availability of nitrogen in arable land limits crop production throughout the world, requiring application of chemical fertilizers. Atmospheric nitrogen is converted by bacteria, in symbiosis with legumes, to a form of nitrogen useful to plants (ammonia) through the process of nodulation and biological nitrogren fixation. In this study, the speed of nodulation of the bacterial strains, Rhizobium tropici UMR 1899 syn. CIAT 899 and Rhizobium etli UMR 1597 syn. CIAT 161, were studied with thirteen different common bean varieties. Using a growth pouch assay, strains UMR 1899 and UMR 1597 were inoculated using common bean in the seedling stage. The evaluation was carried out seven days after inoculation, and the upper-most nodule position and the number of nodules were assessed. The variety PR0401-259 produced the highest number of nodules among the lines when inoculated with UMR 1899 and the lowest number of nodules when inoculated with UMR 1597. The variety PR0737-2 produced the highest number of nodules among the lines when inoculated with UMR 1597 and the lowest number of nodules when inoculated with UMR 1899. Both PR0737-1 and TARS10IS-2421 showed good nodulation in the uppermost root region when inoculated with either strain. The inoculation experiments thus indicated a variety preference and the importanance of the selection specific rhizobia strains for specific common bean varieties.

Technical Abstract: The speed of nodulation of Rhizobium tropici UMR 1899 syn. CIAT 899 and Rhizobium etli UMR 1597 syn. CIAT 161 were examined with thirteen different common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) genotypes and breeding lines. Using a growth pouch assay, strains UMR 1899 and UMR 1597 were inoculated using common bean in the seedling stage. The evaluation was carried out seven days after inoculation, and the upper-most nodule and the number of nodules above the root tip mark were assessed. Both common bean line and line x rhizobia strain interaction were significant in the ANOVA of nodule number, while the strain effect was not. The pink bean PR0401-259 produced the highest number of nodules among the lines when inoculated with UMR 1899 and the lowest number of nodules when inoculated with UMR 1597. The red mottled line PR0737-2 produced the highest number of nodules among the lines when inoculated with UMR 1597 and the lowest number of nodules when inoculated with UMR 1899. Both PR0737-1 and TARS10IS-2421 showed good nodulation in the uppermost root region when inoculated with either strain. The inoculation experiments thus indicated a variety preference and the importance of selecting specific strains for specific genotypes.