Fe3O4 nanoparticles and Rhizobium inoculation enhance nodulation, nitrogen fixation and growth of common bean plants grown in soil
Abstract: The effects of Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) and Rhizobium inoculation on nodulation, nitrogen fixation and plant growth of common bean (cv. Red Guama, Phaseolus vulgaris) plants were investigated in growth chambers. Plants were exposed to: Fe3O4 NPs (2000 mg/L) (T1), Rhizobium inoculation (T2) and Fe3O4 NPs + Rhizobium inoculation (T3); non-treated plants were considered as controls. Harvested 35-day-old treated plants showed improved symbiotic performance including increased nitrogenase activity (51.2–90.7%), nodule leghaemoglobin (44.8–80.9%) and iron content (83.4–84.2%), number of active nodules per plant (58.7–122%) and nodule dry weight (40.2–70.6%). This resulted in enhanced symbiotic nitrogen fixation,and increased shoot (26.5–50.2%) and root (24.1–48.2%) total nitrogen content in treated plants in comparison with the controls. The best result was obtained using treatment T3. Furthermore, Fe3O4 NPs were taken up by bean plants in treatments T1 and T3, and these accumulated in their organs, including in nodules. All treatments led to an increase in root (51.9–79.8%) and shoot (27.5–52.7%) lengths, in leaf area (10.9–16.8%) and in root (10.1–17.8%), stem (9.8–12.7%) and leaf dry weight (8–17.3%) compared to control plants. Thus applied treatments have the potential to improve common bean plant growth through enhancement of nodulation and nitrogen fixation during vegetative growth.This study also provides strong evidence that the presence Fe3O4 NPs in nodules improves the symbiotic performance between Rhizobium (leguminosarum CF1 strain) and the common bean plant, due to enhanced nodulation and nitrogen fixation.
Author(s): Souza-Torres, A.; Govea-Alcaide, E.; Gómez-Padilla, E.; Masunaga, S.H.; Effenberger, F.B.; M.Rossi, L.; López-Sánchez, R.; Jardim, R. F.
Rhizosphere
Published: March 2021, Volume 17, 100275
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rhisph.2020.100275
CDMF
The CDMF, hosted at the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), is one of the Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers (RIDC) supported by the São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Fapesp), and also receives investment from the National Council Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), from the National Institute of Science and Technology of Materials in Nanotechnology (INCTMN).
