henotypic and Symbiotic Effectiveness of Rhizobium Leguminosarum Bv. Viciae Nodulating Lentil (Lens Culinaris Medik) From Highlands of Shewa, Ethiopia
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Abstract
Screening of symbiotically efficient rhizobial strains is the prerequisite in developing rhizobial inoculants for
enhanced productivity of legumes. In this study, composite soil samples were collected from different lentil
growing areas of Shewa in 2010. In 2011 and 2012, lentil nodulating rhizobial isolates were characterized for
morphological, cultural and physiological properties under laboratory condition and evaluated for symbiotic
effectiveness under greenhouse condition. In sand culture, the isolates showed significant differences for shoot
dry weight, nodule number, nodule dry weight, percentage of symbiotic effectiveness and percentage of total
nitrogen and were superior to the negative control. 5% of the isolates were highly effective and 59% were
effective. The low effective and ineffective isolates accounted for 33% and 1%, respectively. The isolates showed
diversity in tolerance to salinity, different pH, temperature, antibiotics, heavy metals as well as utilization of
carbon and nitrogen sources. Hence, the isolates are competitive enough to colonize the rhizosphere under
different edaphic and environmental conditions.