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Influence of salinity, rice straw and water regime on nitrogen fixation in paddy soils

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

P. K. Jena
Affiliation:
Division of Soil Science and Microbiology, Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack 753006, India
V. Rajaramamohan Rao
Affiliation:
Division of Soil Science and Microbiology, Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack 753006, India

Summary

In a laboratory incubation study, the effect of natural and artificial soil salinity on the soil N2 fixation, nitrogenase (C2H2 reduction) and N2-fixing populations was evaluated in rice soils under two water regimes. N2 fixation was less pronounced in two saline soils and in a normal non-saline soil amended with salt mixture (salinity level of 4 and 30 dS/m) than in a non-saline soil under flooded and nonflooded conditions. Flooded soils amended with rice straw showed higher N2-fixing activity than the non-flooded soils at all salinity levels used in the study. Leaching the saline soil improved N2 fixation. An increase in the soil salinity led to a decrease in the populations of at least three groups of N2-fixing micro-organisms. The population density of anaerobic N2 fixers and Azospirillum in a saline soil increased considerably after leaching or after addition of rice straw. Azotobacter populations were little affected by the salinity levels used in this study. Results indicate that soil amelioration for salinity with leaching and organic matter addition would improve the implicated microbial populations and N2 fixation in salt-affected rice soils.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

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