Miguel Angel Quiñones

Nodule endophytes and associated bacteria are non-symbiotic bacteria that colonize legume nodules. They accompany nodulating rhizobia and can form beneficial associations, as some of them are plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) that are able to promote germination and plant growth and increase tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress. White lupin (Lupinus albus) is a legume crop that is gaining relevance as a suitable alternative to soybean as a plant protein source. Eleven nodule-associated bacteria were isolated from white lupin nodules grown in a Tunisian soil. They belonged to the genera Rhizobium, Ensifer, Pseudomonas and Bacillus. Their plant growth-promoting (PGP) and enzymatic activities were tested in vitro. Strains Pseudomonas sp., L1 and L12, displayed most PGP activities tested, and were selected for in planta assays. Inoculation with strains L1 or L12 increased seed germination and had the same positive effects on all plant growth parameters as did inoculation with symbiotic Bradyrhizobium canariense, with no significant differences among treatments. Inoculation with efficient nitrogen-fixing rhizobia must compete with rhizobia present in the soil that sometimes nodulate efficiently but fix nitrogen poorly, leading to a low response to inoculation. In such cases, inoculation with highly effective PGPR might represent a feasible alternative to boost crop productivity.

Agricultural soil salinization, which is often combined with heavy-metal contamination, is an ever-growing problem in the current era of global change. Legumes have a high potential for nitrogen fixation and are ideal crops for the reclamation of degraded soils. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a valuable forage crop cultivated worldwide. Alfalfa plants fertilized with nitrogen or inoculated with a salt- and cadmium-tolerant Sinorhizobium meliloti strain were subjected to combined NaCl and CdCl₂ stresses. Our results showed that inoculated plants presented higher aerial biomass than nitrogen-fertilized plants when they were exposed to salinity and cadmium together. To assess the mechanisms involved in the plant response to the combined stresses, superoxide dismutase and catalase antioxidant enzymatic activities were determined. Both increased upon stress; however, the increase in catalase activity was significantly less marked for inoculated plants, suggesting that other tolerance mechanisms might be active. Cd accumulation was lower in inoculated plants than in fertilized plants, which appears to imply that inoculation somehow prevented cadmium uptake by the plant roots. Expression analyses of several involved genes suggested that inoculation stimulated the biosynthesis of proline, phytochelatins, and homophytochelatins, together indicating that inoculated plants might be better suited to withstand combined salinity and cadmium stress effects.

Lupin is a high-protein legume crop that grows in a wide range of edaphoclimatic conditions where other crops are not viable. Its unique seed nutrient profile can promote health benefits, and it has been proposed as a phytoremediation plant. Most rhizobia nodulating Lupinus species belong to the genus Bradyrhizobium, comprising strains that are phylogenetically related to B. cytisi, B. hipponenese, B. rifense, B. iriomotense/B. stylosanthis, B. diazoefficiens, B. japonicum, B. canariense/B. lupini, and B. retamae/B. valentinum. Lupins are also nodulated by fast-growing bacteria within the genera Microvirga, Ochrobactrum, Devosia, Phyllobacterium, Agrobacterium, Rhizobium, and Neorhizobium. Phylogenetic analyses of the nod and nif genes, involved in microbial colonization and symbiotic nitrogen fixation, respectively, suggest that fast-growing lupin-nodulating bacteria have acquired their symbiotic genes from rhizobial genera other than Bradyrhizobium. Horizontal transfer represents a key mechanism allowing lupin to form symbioses with bacteria that were previously considered as non-symbiotic or unable to nodulate lupin, which might favor lupin’s adaptation to specific habitats. The characterization of yet-unstudied Lupinus species, including microsymbiont whole genome analyses, will most likely expand and modify the current lupin microsymbiont taxonomy, and provide additional knowledge that might help to further increase lupin’s adaptability to marginal soils and climates.

Almost half of the world’s agricultural soils are acidic, and most of them present significant levels of aluminum (Al) contamination, with Al³⁺ as the prevailing phytotoxic species. Lupin is a protein crop that is considered as an optimal alternative to soybean cultivation in cold climates. Lupins establish symbiosis with certain soil bacteria, collectively known as rhizobia, which are capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen. Moreover, some lupin species, especially white lupin, form cluster roots, bottlebrush-like structures specialized in the mobilization and uptake of nutrients in poor soils. Cluster roots are also induced by Al toxicity. They exude phenolic compounds and organic acids that chelate Al to form non-phytotoxic complexes in the rhizosphere and inside the root cells, where Al complexes are accumulated in the vacuole. Lupins flourish in highly acidic soils where most crops, including other legumes, are unable to grow. Some lupin response mechanisms to Al toxicity are common to other plants, but lupin presents specific tolerance mechanisms, partly as a result of the formation of cluster roots. Al-induced lupin organic acid secretion differs from P-induced secretion, and organic acid transporters functions differ from those in other legumes. Additionally, symbiotic rhizobia can contribute to Al detoxification. After revising the existing knowledge on lupin distinct Al tolerance mechanisms, we conclude that further research is required to elucidate the specific organic acid secretion and Al accumulation mechanisms in this unique legume, but definitely, white lupin arises as a choice crop for cultivation in Al-rich acidic soils in temperate climate regions.

Two white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) cultivars were tested for their capacity to accumulate mercury when grown in Hg-contaminated soils. Plants inoculated with a Bradyrhizobium canariense Hg-tolerant strain or non-inoculated were grown in two highly Hg-contaminated soils. All plants were nodulated and presented a large number of cluster roots. They accumulated up to 600 μg Hg g⁻¹ DW in nodules, 1400 μg Hg g⁻¹ DW in roots and 2550 μg Hg g⁻¹ DW in cluster roots. Soil, and not cultivar or inoculation, was accountable for statistically significant differences. No Hg translocation to leaves or seeds took place. Inoculated L. albus cv. G1 plants were grown hydroponically under cluster root-promoting conditions in the presence of Hg. They accumulated about 500 μg Hg g⁻¹ DW in nodules and roots and up to 1300 μg Hg g⁻¹ DW in cluster roots. No translocation to the aerial parts occurred. Bioaccumulation factors were also extremely high, especially in soils and particularly in cluster roots. To our knowledge, Hg accumulation in cluster roots has not been reported to date. Our results suggest that inoculated white lupin might represent a powerful phytoremediation tool through rhizosequestration of Hg in contaminated soils. Potential uptake and immobilization mechanisms are discussed.

The Cambridge Handbook of Workplace Training and Employee Development - edited by Kenneth G. Brown November 2017