Nitrogen-Transforming Microorganisms Promote Plant Development
In the world of agriculture, nitrogen-fixing plants play a crucial role in maintaining soil health and fertility. These plants, such as alfalfa, clovers, vetches, and various grain legumes like peanuts, cowpeas, soybeans, and fava beans, have the unique ability to fix nitrogen in the soil.
One sustainable agriculture practice that leverages this ability is crop rotation. For instance, in a corn-soybean-wheat rotation, soybeans are planted in the second year to replenish the soil after corn, which is a heavy nitrogen feeder. Another method is intercropping, where multiple crops are grown together in one field to maximise space, reduce weed pressure, and promote ecosystem diversity. Soybeans can be intercropped with a small grain crop like wheat, providing a natural nitrogen source for soybeans while decreasing weed pressure.
However, nitrogen-fixing capabilities are not exclusive to legumes. Some well-known non-leguminous nitrogen-fixing plants include alders (genus Alnus) and bayberry (genus Morella), which form nitrogen-fixing root nodules with Frankia bacteria in actinorhizal symbiosis. Species from about 25 genera in the orders Cucurbitales, Fagales, and Rosales, which belong to a nitrogen-fixing clade along with legumes but are distinct non-legumes, also fix nitrogen. The genus Trema (Parasponia) in the family Cannabaceae is an unusual non-legume that fixes nitrogen via a mechanism often found in legumes.
Moreover, many non-leguminous grasses and cereals like barley, rye, wheat, and other cereals do not themselves fix nitrogen symbiotically but may benefit from free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as Azospirillum. These bacteria associate with roots of many non-leguminous plants, including cereals, vegetables, and grasses, supplying biologically fixed nitrogen.
These discoveries broaden the scope of biological nitrogen fixation beyond traditional legumes, offering a more diverse range of crops that can be utilised in crop rotation and intercropping to improve soil health and fertility. Furthermore, using nitrogen-fixing plants is a natural way to enrich soil without relying on chemical fertilizers.
In addition to their direct benefits to soil health, nitrogen-fixing plants can change plant relationships in ways that benefit various other species in a diverse ecosystem. For instance, legumes can be used as cover crops or green manure to improve soil health, provide nutrients for other plants, slow erosion, attract beneficial insects, and help control pests and diseases.
In conclusion, the utilisation of nitrogen-fixing plants in agriculture not only contributes to sustainable farming practices but also promotes ecosystem diversity and health. As our understanding of nitrogen-fixing plants continues to grow, so too will the potential for their application in agriculture and ecosystem management.
- The science of agriculture recognizes the valuable role of nitrogen-fixing plants in maintaining soil health and fertility, beyond just legumes like alfalfa, clovers, vetches, grain legumes, and others.
- In the realm of home-and-garden and gardening, nitrogen-fixing plants like alders and bayberry can be utilized as cover crops or green manure to improve soil health, enrich the soil, and attract beneficial insects.
- In the health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise industry, a balanced nutrition is crucial for overall well-being, much like how a diverse crop rotation or intercropping strategy with nitrogen-fixing plants contributes to soil health and productivity.
- Lifestyle choices that prioritize natural methods, such as using nitrogen-fixing plants for soil enrichment instead of chemical fertilizers, align with the home-and-garden and gardening movement that seeks to promote sustainable and eco-friendly practices.
