Studies on the Symbiotic Potential of a Rhizobium loti Strain Native from Chascomús on Lotus pedunculatus and Lotus corniculatus var. hirsutus Plants

M.J. ESTRELLA, F.L. PIECKENSTAIN, R.A. UGALDE Y A.A. IGLESIAS

Lotus Newsletter

Año: 1997 vol. 28 p. 13 - 16

0316-0106

The Salado River Basin is an extense area in Buenos Aires province (Argentina) dedicated to beef and dairy cattle production, which is mainly sustained on agrazing system based on native grasslands with a minor portion of cultivated pastures. Therefore, proven the extensive conditions of cattle production in the area,nitrogen contents of the forage biomass is a critical point determining yield for the process. Any future intensification in animal production within a pasture basedsystem will demand an increase in the amount and the quality of forage supply. In this way, great amounts of nitrogen should be incorporated to the plant-soilsystem (Simpson and Stobbs, 1981). Basically, this can be achieved by periodical applications of nitrogen-containing fertilizers or, alternatively, through thesymbiotic fixation of atmospheric nitrogen.