Cupriavidus necator strains: zinc and cadmium tolerance and bioaccumulation

Among soil microorganisms, the genus Cupriavidus has garnered particular scientific, economic and ecological interest because of its ability to fix nitrogen and tolerate high concentrations of metals. The aim of this study was to analyze four strains of Cupriavidus necator for their ability to tolerate and bioaccumulate cadmium and zinc. The tolerance of these strains to these metals was assessed in liquid culture medium containing different concentrations of Zn + Cd and in soil solutions and soils contaminated with multiple elements including Zn, Cd, Cu and Pb. The four strains showed high tolerance to Zn and Cd, both in culture medium and when inoculated into contaminated soil solutions or multi-element contaminated soil. The UFLA02-71 strain displayed the highest ability to bioaccumulate these metals. It was able to accumulate 93.76 µmol g cell1 of Zn and 16.03 µmol g cell1 of Cd when cultured in liquid medium with a total heavy metal concentration of 9,140 µmol L1 (9,000 Zn + 140 Cd) and was able to accumulate 16.98 µmol g cell1 of Cd in the soil solution. An increase in the pH of the culture medium resulting from the growth of the C. necator strains reduced the Zn2+ and Cd2+ ions in the medium and increased the concentrations of the ZnHPO4 and CdHPO4 species in solution. Thus, we concluded that they show great potential for use in the bioremediation of HM-contaminated areas.(AU)

Cowpea symbiotic efficiency, pH and aluminum tolerance in nitrogen-fixing bacteria

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) cultivation in northern and northeastern Brazil provides an excellent source of nutrients and carbohydrates for the poor and underprivileged. Production surplus leads to its consumption in other regions of Brazil and also as an export commodity. Its capacity to establish relationships with atmospheric nitrogen-fixing bacteria is crucial to the reduction of production costs and the environmental impact of nitrogen fertilizers. This study assessed the symbiotic efficiency of new strains of symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria with cowpea and their tolerance to pH and aluminum. Twenty-seven strains of bacteria from different soils were evaluated under axenic conditions. These strains were compared to the following inoculant strains: INPA03-11B, UFLA03-84 and BR3267 and two controls that were not inoculated (with and without mineral nitrogen). Six strains and the three strains approved as inoculants were selected to increase the dry weight production of the aerial part (DWAP) and were tested in pots with soil that had a high-density of nitrogen-fixing native rhizobia. In this experiment, three strains (UFLA03-164, UFLA03-153, and UFLA03-154) yielded higher DWAP values. These strains grow at pH levels of 5.0, 6.0, 6.8 and at high aluminum concentration levels, reaching 10(9) CFU mL-1. In particular UFLA03-84, UFLA03-153, and UFLA03-164 tolerate up to 20 mmol c dm-3 of Al+3. Inoculation with rhizobial strains, that had been carefully selected according to their ability to nodulate and fix N2, combined with their ability to compete in soils that are acidic and contain high levels of Al, is a cheaper and more sustainable alternative that can be made available to farmers than mineral fertilizers.

Cowpea symbiotic efficiency, pH and aluminum tolerance in nitrogen-fixing bacteria

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) cultivation in northern and northeastern Brazil provides an excellent source of nutrients and carbohydrates for the poor and underprivileged. Production surplus leads to its consumption in other regions of Brazil and also as an export commodity. Its capacity to establish relationships with atmospheric nitrogen-fixing bacteria is crucial to the reduction of production costs and the environmental impact of nitrogen fertilizers. This study assessed the symbiotic efficiency of new strains of symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria with cowpea and their tolerance to pH and aluminum. Twenty-seven strains of bacteria from different soils were evaluated under axenic conditions. These strains were compared to the following inoculant strains: INPA03-11B, UFLA03-84 and BR3267 and two controls that were not inoculated (with and without mineral nitrogen). Six strains and the three strains approved as inoculants were selected to increase the dry weight production of the aerial part (DWAP) and were tested in pots with soil that had a high-density of nitrogen-fixing native rhizobia. In this experiment, three strains (UFLA03-164, UFLA03-153, and UFLA03-154) yielded higher DWAP values. These strains grow at pH levels of 5.0, 6.0, 6.8 and at high aluminum concentration levels, reaching 10(9) CFU mL-1. In particular UFLA03-84, UFLA03-153, and UFLA03-164 tolerate up to 20 mmol c dm-3 of Al+3. Inoculation with rhizobial strains, that had been carefully selected according to their ability to nodulate and fix N2, combined with their ability to compete in soils that are acidic and contain high levels of Al, is a cheaper and more sustainable alternative that can be made available to farmers than mineral fertilizers.(AU)

Resposta de cultivares de feijoeiro-comum à inoculação das sementes com duas estirpes de rizóbio / Common bean cultivars response to seed inoculation with two rhizobium strains

Fixação simbiótica de nitrogênio pode ser uma alternativa para reduzir, ou mesmo substituir, a adubação nitrogenada do feijoeiro-comum, cultura na qual ainda há descrédito quanto aos benefícios da inoculação e que se caracteriza por aplicações de altas doses de N mineral. Com o objetivo de verificar a resposta de cultivares de feijoeiro-comum à inoculação das sementes com duas estirpes de rizóbio, foram conduzidos dois experimentos de campo na safra de inverno 2010 (Patos de Minas e Uberaba, MG). Utilizou-se o delineamento em blocos casualizados, com três repetições e esquema fatorial 8 x 3, envolvendo oito cultivares (União, Madrepérola, Supremo, Ouro Negro, Ouro Vermelho e Majestoso) e três tipos de inoculação (sementes não inoculadas e estirpes CIAT 899T e UFLA 04-173). Na floração, avaliaram-se o número e massa seca de nódulos, massa seca de parte aérea e teor e acúmulo de nitrogênio (N) na parte aérea e, na colheita, o rendimento de grãos com seus componentes primários, teor e acúmulo de N nos grãos. Constatou-se que as populações nativas promovem nodulação equivalente à das estirpes inoculadas. As estirpes CIAT 899T e UFLA 04-173 favorecem o crescimento vegetativo do feijoeiro. A estirpe CIAT 899T proporciona maior número de vagens e maior massa de grãos que a estirpe UFLA 04-173, e em Uberaba também proporciona maior rendimento de grãos. Quando a inoculação é realizada com a estirpe UFLA 04-173, as cultivares diferem quanto ao teor foliar de N. As cultivares Madrepérola, Ouro Negro e Ouro Vermelho apresentam mais nódulos e maior massa seca de parte aérea, além de maior produtividade em Patos de Minas. Ouro Negro situa-se entre as mais produtivas em Uberaba. Em Uberaba há maior acúmulo de matéria seca de nódulos e de parte aérea, mas o ambiente Patos de Minas resulta em maiores valores do rendimento de grãos e componentes.

The symbiotic nitrogen fixation can be an alternative to reduce, or even replace, the nitrogen (N) fertilization of the common bean crop, characterized by application of high doses of this nutrient. This work aimed to verify the response of common bean cultivars to the seed inoculation with two Rhizobium strains, conducting two field experiments in the winter-spring crop of 2010, at Patos de Minas and Uberaba, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The experiment had a randomized block design, with three replications and a 8 x 3 factorial squemme, involving eight cultivars and three levels of inoculation. At flowering, it was evaluated the number of nodules, nodules dry mass, shoots dry weight, N content and accumulation in shoots and, at harvest, the grain yield and its primary components (100 grains weight, number of pods per plant, number of grains per pod) and the N content and accumulation in the grains. The Madrepérola, Ouro Negro and Ouro Vermelho cultivars present the highest number of nodules and higher dry mass; in Patos de Minas, the same cultivars show higher productivity, but in Uberaba, only Ouro Negro cultivar is among the most productive. In Uberaba there is the greater nodules dry weight and higher shoots dry matter, but the most favorable conditions in Patos de Minas results in higher values for grain yield and its components. In Uberaba, the CIAT 899T strain overcomes the UFLA 04-173 strain in relation to grain yield. In both environments, the CIAT 899T strain also shows superiority in number of pods per plant and weight of one hundred grains.