Study

Benefits of the symbiotic association of shrubby legumes for the rehabilitation of degraded soils under Mediterranean climatic conditions

  • Published source details Pérez-Fernández M.A., Clavo-Magro E. & Valentine A. (2016) Benefits of the symbiotic association of shrubby legumes for the rehabilitation of degraded soils under Mediterranean climatic conditions. Land Degradation and Development, 27, 395-405.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Add root associated bacteria/fungi to introduced plants

Action Link
Shrubland and Heathland Conservation
  1. Add root associated bacteria/fungi to introduced plants

    A controlled study in 2008–2011 in a field in southern Spain (Perez-Fernandez et al.2016) found that inoculating shrubs with rhizobial bacteria increased their height and biomass. Cytisus balansae plants that had been inoculated were taller (2–8 m) than those that had not been inoculated (1 m) and the same was true for Cytisus multiflorus (inoculated: 2–6 m, non-inoculated: 1 m), Cytisus striatus (inoculated: 5–6 m, non-inoculated: 1 m), and Genista florida plants (inoculated: 1–7 m, non-inoculated: 1 m). All four shrub species also had higher biomass when inoculated (60–530 mg/plant) than when they were not inoculated (30–110 mg/plant). In 2008 forty seedlings of each plant species were grown in a greenhouse in soil inoculated with rhizobial bacteria, and another 40 in soil that was not inoculated. In 2009 plants were transplanted to a field. In 2011 the height of plants was measured and plants were harvested and dried to allow biomass to be calculated.

    (Summarised by: Phil Martin)

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