Variability in the growth and nodulation of soybean in response to elevation and soil properties in the Himalayan region of Kashmir-Pakistan

This study was conducted to examine the variability of soybean nodulation and growth in relation to elevation and soil properties across the slopping uplands of the himalayan region of rawalakot azad jammu and kashmir (ajk),pakistan in order to find efficient native n2 fixing bacteria adapted to local soil and climatic characteristics. soils from twenty two different sites with variable altitude were collected and analyzed for different physico-chemical characteristics including the quantitative estimation of rhizobium population through most probable number (mpn) technique. soybean cultivar william-82 was grown in these soils under greenhouse condition for determining the nodulation potential (number and mass) and plant growth characteristics. morphology of the nodules were observed through optical and transmission electron microscopy. principal component analysis (pca) and biplot graph were used to jointly interpret the relationshi p between variables and soils (treatments). soil altitude ranged from 855 m to 3000 m while organic matter content varied between 0.8% to 3.5% and ph from 6.0 to 8.1. the indigenous rhizobia population varied between 5.0 x104 to 8.0 x106 cfu g-1 showing the existence of a substantial rhizobial population in these soils. the number of nodules per plant varied from 7 to 40 (cv 38%) suggesting site/location as an important factor contributing towards rhizobia population and impacting root nodulation. the electron microscopy of green plant nodules showed densely populated bacteria in these cells and nodule tissue cells were completely infected with bacteria. the growth characteristics of soybean i.e. shoot length,shoot fresh and dry weight,root length,root fresh and dry weight varied among the sites but in general a vigorous and healthy plant growth was observed reflecting n assimilation from native soils. results showed a substantial variability between sites and this is likely to be due to inter/intra species diversity,as well as changes in microbial community composition/structure. the study suggests that soybean could be planted in this region without prior inoculation,and that native n2 -fixing bacteria might be isolated from these soils and used as biofertilizers (or inoculants). © 2017,pakistan botanical society. all rights reserved.