NITROGEN FIXATION WITH NON-LEGUMES

Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences

VOLUME 79

The titles published in this series are listed at the end ofthis volume.

Nitrogen Fixation with Non-Legumes

Proceedings of the 7th International Symposiumon Nitrogen Fixation with Non-Legumes,held 16-21 October 1996 in Faisalabad, Pakistan

Edited by

Kauser A. MALIK

and

M. Sajjad MIRZANational Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE),PO. Box 577, Jhang Road, Faisalabad, Pakistan

and

lK. LADHAInternational Rice Research Institute (IRRI), PO. Box 933,Manila 1099, Philippines

KLUWER ACADEMIC PUBLISHERSDORDRECHT \ BOSTON \ LONDON

A c.I.P. Catalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress

ISBN 978-94-010-6202-2 ISBN 978-94-011-5232-7 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-94-011-5232-7

Printed on acid-free paper

All Rights Reserved ©1998 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht Originally published by Kluwer Academic Publishers in 1998 Softcover reprint ofthe hardcover 1st edition 1998 No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, inciuding photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission from the copyright owner.

Contents

ForewordJ Dobereiner

Preface

Opening lecture

I. Biological nitrogen fixation by endophytic diazotrophs innon-leguminous crops in the tropicsJ Dobereiner and V L. D. Baldani

SECTION IBiochemistry and genetics of diazotrophs

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3

2. Analysis of nitrogen fixation and regulatory genes in thesugar cane endophyte Acetobacter diazotrophicus IISunhee Lee, Myrna Sevilla, Dietmar Meletzus, Katia Teixeira,Andre De Oliveira, Lena Per/ova, Roman Nawroth, Ivo Baldaniand Christina Kennedy

3. Functional analysis of a cloned nifA homologous geneof Azospirillum brasi/ense Yu62 21Gui Su, Yinsuo Zhao and fi/un Li

4. Identification of plant growth hormones produced bybacterial isolates from rice, wheat and kallar grass 25Ghulam Rasul, M. Sajjad Mirza, Farooq Latif andKauser A. Malik

SECTIONnEcophysiological studies for the improvement of plant-microbe interaction

5. The rice endophytic diazotroph and PGPRW Song, H. L. Yang, X L. Sun, Y. S. Wang, Y. D. Wangand Z. H. Chen

v

41

VI Contents

6. Effect of Azospirillum inoculation on growth and N 2 fixationof maize subjected to different levels of FYM using15N-dilution method 49HM.A. El-Komy, TM.M. Moharram and M.SA. Safwat

7. Contribution of non-leguminous biofertilizers to ricebiomass, nitrogen fixation and fertilizer-N use efficiencyunder flooded soil conditions 61Sikander Ali, Naima Hamid, Ghulam Rasul,Samina Mehnaz and Kauser A. Malik

8. Detection of inoculated plant growth-promoting rhizobacteriain the rhizosphere of rice 75Samina Mehnaz, M. Sajjad Mirza, Uzma Hassan andKauser A. Malik

Posters

9. Salt tolerance of diazotroph Alaligenes faecalis and itssalt-tolerant association with host rice 87Sz. Ping, M Lin, YN Liu, c.B. You and Kauser A. Malik

10. Interaction of Azorhizobium caulinodans with differentrice cultivars for increased N 2-fixation 91Shahida N Khokhar and Azra Qureshi

11. Response of wheat to an associative diazotroph inoculumunder different rates of nitrogen fertilizer 95A. Rashid, MR. Sajjad, MA. Gill, MS Cheema, MS. Sindhuand M.M. Nayyar

12. Effects of high temperature on nitrogen fixation in soybean cultivars 99M. I. Keerio and J M. Wilson

13. Effect of plant growth regulators and Rhizobium inoculumon N2-fixation and yield of chickpea 103Zarrin Fatima, A. Bano and M. Aslam

Contents vii

SECTION IIIParanodulation and forced association of diazotrophs with non-legumes

14. Prospects for facilitated evolution of effective N2-fixingassociations with cereals: comparative performance ofAzospirillum brasilense Sp7-S with various free-livingdiazotrophs in para-nodulated wheat 109Ivan R. Kennedy, Sunietha Katupitiya, Daiguan Yu, Kate Gilchrist,Rosalind Deaker, Lily Pereg-Gerk and Craig Wood

15. Transgenic rice plants with Parasponia haemoglobin gene and itsexpressIOn 125Wei Guo, Shan Xueqin, Ding Qunxing, Liu Bolin and Jing Yuxiang

16. Cell structure of pseudonodules formed on the roots ofbarley and rice 133Shan Xueqin and Jing Yuxiang

Posters

17. Induction of paranodulation by 2,4-D, IAA and tryptophanin wheat inoculated with various diazotrophs 145H. Youssef, M. Monib, M. Fayez and NA. Hegazi

18. Optimizing zinc and phosphate statuses for enhancing fieldcolonization and contribution of the symbiotic associationAzolla-Anabaena to rice performance 151YG Yanni

19. Enhancement of rice performance and incidence of naturalfungal and insect damage with cyanobacterization, microelements,combined nitrogen and certain pesticides 159Y G Yanni, M. R. Sehly and FE. Abdallah

SECTION IVMolecular biology of plant-diazotroph interaction

20. Colonization and nifH expression on rice roots by Alcaligenesjaecalis A15 167Hans Vermeiren, Jozej Vanderleyden and Weili Hai

21. Responses of Azospirillum brasilense to salinity stress 179A. K. Tripathi and B. M. Mishra

viii Contents

22. Studies on the diploid indeterminate nodule-forming plantMelilotus alba Desr., white sweetcloverAnn M. Hirsch, Thomas A. LaRue, Joanna H Norrisand Norman F Weeden

SECTION VMolecular probes in taxonomy and ecology of diazotrophs

187

23. Isolation and identification of diazotrophic bacteria fromrice, wheat and kallar grass 197Uzma Hassan, M. Sajjad Mirza, Samina Mehnaz, Ghulam Rasuland Kauser A. Malik

SECTION VIApplicability and agronomic importance of associative diazotrophs

24. Diazotrophs associated with non-legumes grown in sandy soils 209NA. Hegazi, M. Fayez, GAmin, M.A. Hamza, M. Abbas,H Youssef and M. Monib

25. Effect of inoculation with nitrogen-fixing Klebsiella on potato yield 223V N Pishchik, I. I. Chernyaeva, A. P. Kozhemaykov, N I. Vorobyov,A. M. Lazarev and L. P. Kozlov

26. Responses of rice plants to inoculation with Azospirillumsp. under field conditions 237Ngyuen Thi Phuong Chi, Ha Hong Thanh and Nguyen Ngoc Dzung

Posters

27. BGA technology for rice cultivation in northern India 243R. P. Gupta, N S. Chaudhary and M. S. Pandher

28. Modified combined carbon N-deficient medium for isolation,enumeration and biomass production of diazotrophs 247NA. Hegazi, MA. Hamza, A. Osman, S. Ali, MZ. Sedikand M. Fayez

29. Contribution of integrated symbiotic and associativesystems of biological nitrogen fixation to N-status ofintercropped legumes and non-legumes in sandy soils of Egypt 255M Monib, ME. Hassan, HH Abo-Taleb, A. Metwallyand NA. Hegazi

Contents ix

30. Some physiological studies of diazotrophic bacteria associatedwith maize in a temperate and a tropical soil 261FE. Mwaura and D. Widdowson

31. In- vitro propagation using phytohormones produced byassociative diazotrophs 265H.M. El-Khawas, l.A. Ibrahim, H.M. Anwar and NA. Hegazi

32. Effect of inoculation of Azotobacter and PSM on fertilizereconomy, plant growth and yield of winter maize 271Puneet K. Sohal, R. P. Gupta and M. S Pandher

33. Accumulation of radionuclides by associative bacteria andthe uptake of 134CS by the inoculated barley plants 275A. A. Belimov, A. M. Kunakova, N D. Vasilyeva, T S Kovatcheva,VF Dritchko, SN Kuzovatov, l.R. Trushkina and Yu. V Alekseyev

34. The influence of chosen fungicides on Azospirillum dinitrogenfixation in the soil 281Dorota Swedrzynska and Aleksandra Sawicka

SECTION VIIMethodologies for assessing nitrogen fixation

35. Evaluation of biological nitrogen fixation associated withnon-legumesRobert M. Boddey, Bruno JR. Alves and Segundo Urquiaga

36. Use of 15N isotope dilution method to quantify nitrogenfixation in legumes and its potential use for non-legumesGudni Hardarson and Christian Hera

SECTION VIIIActinorhizal and cyanobacterial association

287

307

37. Competitivity and persistence of Frankia in a managedenvironment 315NR. McEwan, E.M. 0. Gould, E. Lumini, JD. McNeilland C. T Wheeler

38. Symbiotic association between Frankia and actinorhizal plants 327Nantakorn Boonkerd

x Contents

39. Ecophysiological studies of cyanobacteria in paddy soilsof BangladeshMA. Hashem

40. Cyanobacterial root nodules in Tribulus terrestris L.(Zygophyllaceae)A. Mahmood and M. Athar

Posters

333

345

41. Use of Azalia as biofertilizer to enhance crop yield in arice-wheat cropping system under mild climate 353Sikander Ali, Naima Hamid, Dilrosh Khan and Kauser A. Malik

List of papers presented at the Second Rice BNF WorkingGroup meeting (13-15 October, 1996) organized by IRRIand NIBGE, held in conjunction with the 7th InternationalSymposium on Nitrogen Fixation with Non-Legumes publishedin Plant and Soil, Vol. 194, Nos. 1-2, 1997 359

Foreword

Until about 25 years ago, apart from the Rhizobium symbioses only rhizosphereassociations with diazotrophic bacteria were known. After the development ofthe acetylene reduction method considerable nitrogenase activity has beendetected in association with roots of wetland race, maize and various tropicalgrasses and especially with sugar cane. This nitrogen fixation could not beexplained by the presence of rhizosphere diazotrophs known until then. Thisnitrogenase activity was found to be maximal at low oxygen concentrations anda semi-solid medium was prepared which permitted the isolation of diazo­trophic bacteria from roots and rhizosphere of these grasses and cereals. In thismedium the diffusion of O2 to the site of bacterial growth is in equilibrium withthe respiration rate of the growing bacteria and the pellicles of the growingbacteria move gradually towards the surface of the medium producing a veil­like pellicle at the point where O2 diffusion matches the O2 uptake andconsequently maintains a p02 enough for the nitrogenase to function. This simplebut very important technique quickly led to the discovery of two new species ofthe genus Azospirillum and subsequently three additional species of this genus.In addition two new species of Herbaspirillum in addition to Bacillus azotojix­ans were isolated using this technique. All these diazotrophs were found in associa­tion with roots, stems and leaves of grasses and cereals. Acetobacter diazotrophicusin addition was found within all parts of sugar cane. All these findings on endo­phytic dinitrogen fixation now explain much better the high contributions non­legumes can obtain from biological N2-fixation and their potential for sustainableagriculture.

Dr. Johanna DobereinerEMBRAPA, CNPAB, Brazil

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Preface

The major breakthrough in agricultural production came after the advent of theGreen Revolution, which was driven by technologies heavily dependent onsynthetic fertilizers. Such technologies make N fertilization the major driving forcein food production. Production of chemical N fertilizer consumes huge amountsof non-renewable energy sources, thus making it the most expensive input intothe agricultural system. Due to the recent increases in energy costs, chemicalfertilizers have become increasingly less affordable for subsistence farmers indeveloping countries. In addition its excessive use in the developed world hasbeen related to environmental pollution. Biological nitrogen fixation has thereforebeen an attractive proposition for sustainable agriculture. Traditionally its scopehas been limited to legume crops. But since the majority of crops of economicimportance are non-legumes, any scientific breakthrough in this area of researchwill have a direct impact on agricultural production.

In the early seventies Dr. Johanna Dobereiner and her group in Brazil reportednitrogen fixation associated with the roots of grasses which initiated a number ofstudies by several workers around the world. This renewed interest in grasses,which also include important crops like rice, wheat and sugarcane, led to theorganization of the first International Symposium on 'Nitrogen Fixation withNon-Legumes' which was held in Brazil in 1979. Ever since, the scientists work­ing on nitrogen fixation with non-legumes have been holding such symposia everythree years in different parts of the world. Up till now seven such symposia havebeen held, in Brazil (1979), Canada (1982), Finland (1984), Brazil (1987), Italy(1990), Egypt (1993) and Pakistan (1996). It has also been decided that the 8thInternational Symposium on 'Nitrogen Fixation with Non-Legumes' will be heldin Australia.

Over the last few years considerable progress has been made towardsunderstanding the mechanisms involved in plant-diazotroph interactions. Severalnew associations have been discovered and new lines of action have been reported.The two international institutes engaged on cereals, namely IRRI and CIM­MYT, are actively evaluating these technologies. IRRI has already developed aNew Frontier Project to coordinate the worldwide collaborative efforts amongresearch centers committed to reducing dependency of rice on mineral Nresources. An International Rice BNF working group was established to reviewand share research results. The second meeting of this working group was heldat NIBGE, Faisalabad, in conjunction with the 7th International Symposium.All the invited keynote speakers of the Symposium participated in this working

Xlll

XIV Preface

group meeting. Its proceedings have been published separately as a volume ofPlant and Soil (Volume 194, Nos. 1-2, 1997: contents page reproduced at the endof this book).

During the Symposium 30 oral presentations were made and 70 posters weredisplayed. This information was actively discussed by 130 participants from 30countries. The present volume comprises most of the oral presentations andextended summaries of selected poster presentations. The wealth of informationpresented in this symposium highlighted various developments and priorities ofresearch in this area. The availability of various molecular biology tools has nowmade it possible to elucidate and manipulate the process of plant-microbe inter­action. The Azoarcus-Kallar grass association and Acetobacter diazotrophicus­sugarcane system are the best examples which can further enhance ourunderstanding of these systems.

I would like to thank all the members of the International Scientific Commit­tee, especially Prof. Bob Burris and Dr. Claudine Elmerich whose continuousadvice and support made this symposium a reality. This Symposium would nothave been possible without generous financial support from UNESCO, ISESCO,TWAS, IAEA, USNSF and DSE/ZEL. In addition we acknowledge support fromPakistan Atomic Energy Commission, Pakistan Science Foundation, UniversityGrants Commission, Engro Chemicals, Karachi and Perkin & Elmer asrepresented by AMS.

Dr. Kauser A. MalikSymposium Organizer

List of Contributors

Abbas, M., Environmental Research and Studies Unit, Department ofMicrobiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

Abdallah, RE., Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Kafr EI-Sheikh 33717,Egypt

Abo-Taleb, H.H., Environmental Research and Studies Unit, MicrobiologyDepartment, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University and Agricultural ResearchCentre, Giza, Egypt

Alekseyev, Yu.V., All-Russian Institute of Chemical Melioration of Soil,Gusarskaya St.9, Pushkin, Saint-Petersburg, 189620, Russia

Ali, S., Environmental Research and Studies Unit, Microbiology Department,Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

Ali, Sikander, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering(NIBGE), PO Box 577, Jhang Road, Faisalabad, Pakistan

Alves, Bruno J.R., National Centre for Agrobiology Research (EMBRAPA­CNPAB), Km 47, Seropedica, Itaguai, 23851 N970, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Amin, G., Environmental Research and Studies Unit, Department ofMicrobiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

Anwar, H.M., Tissue Culture Laboratory, Agriculture Development SystemsProject, Ministry of Agriculture, Cairo, Egypt

Aslam, M., Applied Microbiology Section, National Agricultural ResearchCentre, Islamabad

Athar, M., PAR C, Islamabad, Pakistan

Baldani, Ivo, EMBRAPA/CNPBS, Seropedica, 23851, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Baldani, V.L.D., EMBRAPA:CNPAB, Seropedica 23851-970, Rio de Janeiro,Brazil

Bano, A., Department of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad

Belimov, A.A., All-Russian Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology,Podbelsky Sh.3, Pushkin-8, Saint-Petersburg, 189620, Russia

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XVI List of Contributors

Boddey, Robert M., National Centre for Agrobiology Research (EMBRAPA­CNPAB), Km 47, Seropedica, Itaguai, 23851N970, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Boonkerd, Nantakorn, School of Biotechnology, Institute of AgriculturalTechnology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon, Ratchasima, Thailand

Chaudhary, N.S., Department of Agronomy, Punjab Agricultural University,Ludhiana, 141 004, India

Cheema, M.S., Agronomy Research Station, Bahawalpur, Pakistan

Chen, Z.H., Institute for Application of Atomic Energy, Chinese Academy ofAgricultural Sciences. PO Box 5109, Beijing 100094, PR China

Chernyaeva, 1.1., Laboratory of Biological Nitrogen, Research Institute forAgricultural Microbiology, Podbelsky Sh. 3, Saint-Petersburg-Pushkin 8, 189620,Russia

Christian Hera, Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Section, JointFAO/IAEA Division, Wagramerstrasse 5, A-1400 Vienna, Austria

De Oliveira, Andre, EMBRAPA/CNPBS, Seropedica, 23851, Rio de Janeiro,Brazil

Deaker, Rosalind, SUNFix Centre for Nitrogen Fixation, Department ofAgricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, University of Sydney, NSW 2006,Australia

Dobereiner, J., EMBRAPACNPAB, Seropedica 23851-970, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Dritchko, V.F., Agrarian University, Petersburgskoye Sh.2, Pushkin-6, Saint­Petersburg, 189620, Russia

EI-Khawas, H.M., Unit of Soil Biotechnology, Department of Microbiology,Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

EI-Komy, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Minia University, Minia61111, Egypt

Fatima, Zarrin, Department of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University,Islamabad

Fayez, M., Environmental Research and Studies Unit, Microbiology Department,Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

Gilchrist, Kate, SUNFix Centre for Nitrogen Fixation, Department ofAgricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, University of Sydney, NSW 2006,Australia

Gill, M.A., Agronomy Research Station, Karor, Pakistan

Gould, E.M.O., Bower Building, Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,IBLS, Glasgow University, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK

List of Contributors XVll

Gudni Hardarson, FAO/IAEA Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory,A-2444 Seibersdorf, Austria

Guo, Wei, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093,PR China

Gupta, R.P., Department of Microbiology, Punjab Agricultural University,Ludhiana, Punjab, India

Hae, Weili, Institute for Application of Atomic Energy, Chinese Academy ofAgricultural Sciences, PO Box 5109, Beijing, 100094, PR China

Hamid, Naima, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering(NIBGE), PO Box 577, Jhang Road, Faisalabad, Pakistan

Hamza, M.A., Environmental Research and Studies Unit, MicrobiologyDepartment, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

Hashem, M.A., Department of Soil Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University,Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh

Hassan, M.E., Environmental Research and Studies Unit, MicrobiologyDepartment, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University and AgriculturalResearch Centre, Giza, Egypt

Hassan, Uzma, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering(NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan

Hegazi, N.A., Environmental Research and Studies Unit, MicrobiologyDepartment, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

Hirsch, Ann M., Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology andMolecular Biology Institute, 405 Hilgard Avenue, University of California, LosAngeles, CA 90095N1606, USA

Hong Thanh, Ha, Department of Soil Microbiology, Inst. of Biotechnology,NCST of Vietnam

Ibrahim, I.A., Tissue Culture Laboratory, Agriculture Development SystemsProject, Ministry of Agriculture, Cairo, Egypt

Katupitiya, Sunietha, SUNFix Centre for Nitrogen Fixation, Department ofAgricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, University of Sydney, NSW 2006,Australia

Keerio, M.I., Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of CropProduction, SAU, Tandojam, Pakistan

Kennedy, Christina, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, POBox 210036, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA

Kennedy, Ivan R., SUNFix Centre for Nitrogen Fixation, Department ofAgricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, University of Sydney, NSW 2006,Australia

XVIII List of Contributors

Khan, Dilrosh, Agriculture Research Station, Mingora, Swat, Pakistan

Khokhar, Shahida Nasreen, Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, NARC ParkRd., Islamabad, Pakistan

Kovatcheva, T.S., All-Russian Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology,Podbelsky Sh.3, Pushkin-8, Saint-Petersburg, 189620, Russia

Kozhemaykov, A.P., Laboratory of Biological Nitrogen, Research Institute forAgricultural Microbiology, Podbelsky Sh. 3, Saint-Petersburg-Pushkin 8, 189620,Russia

Kozlov, L.P., Laboratory of Biological Plant Protection, Research Institute ofPlant Protection, Podbelsky Sh. 3, Saint-Petersburg-Pushkin 8, 189620, Russia

Kunakova, A.M., All-Russian Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology,Podbelsky Sh.3, Pushkin-8, Saint-Petersburg, 189620, Russia

Kuzovatov, S.N., Agrarian University, Petersburgskoye Sh.2, Pushkin-6, Saint­Petersburg, 189620, Russia

Larue, Thomas A., Boyce Thompson Institute, Tower Road, Ithaca, NY 14853,USA

Latif, Farooq, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering(NIBGE), PO Box 577, Faisalabad, Pakistan

Lazarev, A.M., Laboratory of Biological Plant Protection, Research Institute ofPlant Protection, Podbelsky Sh. 3, Saint-Petersburg-Pushkin 8, 189620, Russia

Lee, Sunhee, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, PO Box210036, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA

Li, Jilun, National Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology, Beijing AgriculturalUniversity, Beijing 100094, PR China

Ling, M., Institute for Application of Atomic Energy, CAAS, PO Box 5109, Beijing100094, PR China

Liu, Y.N., China Agricultural University, College of Biological Sciences, Beijing100094

Lumini, E., Bower Building, Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,IBLS, Glasgow University, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.Current address: Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Alimentari eMicrobiologiche dell'Universita degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy

Mahmood, A., Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270,Pakistan

Malik, Kauser A., National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering,PO Box 577, Faisalabad, Pakistan

List of Contributors XIX

McEwan, N.R., Bower Building, Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,IBLS, Glasgow University, Glasgow Gl2 8QQ, UK

McNeill, J.D., Forestry Commission, Northern Research Station, Penicuik EH259SY, UK

Mehnaz, Samina, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering(NIBGE), PO Box 577, Jhang Road, Faisalabad, Pakistan

Meletzus, Dietmar, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, POBox 210036, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA, and Departmentof Gene Technology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University ofBielefeld, 3350I, Bielefeld, Germany

Metwally, A., Environmental Research and Studies Unit, MicrobiologyDepartment, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University and Agricultural ResearchCentre, Giza, Egypt

Mishra, B.M., School of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Banaras HinduUniversity, Varanasi-221005, India

Moharram, T.M.M., Agricultural Microbiology Department, Faculty ofAgriculture, Minia University, Minia, 61111, Egypt

Monib, M., Environmental Research and Studies Unit, Microbiology Department,Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

Mwaura, F.B., Botany Department, University of Nairobi, POBox 30197,Nairobi, Kenya

Nawroth, Roman, Department of Gene Technology and Microbiology, Facultyof Biology, University of Bielefeld, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany

Nayyar, M.M., Agronomy Research Institute, Faisalabad-38000, Pakistan

Ngoc Dzung, Nguyen, Department of Soil Microbiology, Inst. of Biotechnology,NCST of Vietnam

Norris, Joanna H., Department of Biological Sciences, University of RhodeIsland, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA

Osman, A., Environmental Research and Studies Unit, Microbiology Department,Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

Pandher, M.S., Department of Microbiology, Punjab Agricultural University,Ludhiana, Punjab, India

Pereg-Gerk, Lily, SUNFix Centre for Nitrogen Fixation, Department ofAgricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, University of Sydney, NSW 2006,Australia

Perlova, Lena, Department of Gene Technology and Microbiology, Faculty ofBiology, University of Bielefeld, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany

xx List of Contributors

Ping, S.Z., Institute for Application of Atomic Energy, CAAS, PO Box 5109,Beijing 100094, PR China

Pishchik, V.N., Laboratory of Biological Nitrogen, Research Institute forAgricultural Microbiu1ogy, Podbelsky Sh. 3, Saint-Petersburg-Pushkin 8, 189620,Russia

Qunxing, Ding, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093,PR China

Qureshi, Azra, Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, NARC Park Rd., Islamabad

Rashid, A., Soil Bacteriology Section, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, POBox 775, Faisalabad-38000, Pakistan

Rasul, Ghulam, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering(NIBGE), PO Box 577, Jhang Road, Faisalabad, Pakistan

Safwat, M.S.A., Agricultural Microbiology Department, Faculty of Agriculture,Minia University, Minia, 61111, Egypt

Sajjad Mirza, M., National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering,PO Box 577, Jhang Road, Faisalabad, Pakistan

Sajjad, M.R., Soil Bacteriology Section, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute,PO Box 775, Faisalabad-38000, Pakistan

Sawicka, Aleksandra, Department of Soil Microbiology, Agricultural Universityof Poznan, ul. Wolynska 35, 60N637 Poznan, Poland

Sedik, M.Z., Environmental Research and Studies Unit, MicrobiologyDepartment, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

Sehly, M.R., Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Kafr El-Sheikh 33717, Egypt

Sevilla, Myrna, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, PO Box210036, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA

Sindhu, M.S. Agronomy Research Station, Khanewal, Pakistan

Sohal, Puneet K., Department of Microbiology, Punjab Agricultural University,Ludhiana, Punjab, India

Song, W., Institute for Application of Atomic Energy, Chinese Academy ofAgricultural Sciences. PO Box 5109, Beijing 100094, PR China

Su, Gui, National Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology, Beijing AgriculturalUniversity, Beijing 100094, PR China

Sun, X.L., Institute for Application of Atomic Energy, Chinese Academy ofAgricultural Sciences. PO Box 5109, Beijing 100094, PR China

Swedrzyftska, Dorota, Department of Soil Microbiology, Agricultural Universityof Poznan, ul. Wolynska 35, 60N637 Poznan, Poland

List of Contributors XXI

Teixeira, Katia, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, PO Box210036, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA, and EMBRAPAICNPBS, Seropedica, 23851, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Thi Phuong Chi, Nguyen, Department of Soil Microbiology, Inst. ofBiotechnology, NCST of Vietnam

Tripathi, A.K., School of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Banaras HinduUniversity, Varanasi-221005, India

Trushkina, I.R., Agrarian University, Petersburgskoye Sh.2, Pushkin-6, Saint­Petersburg, 189620, Russia

Urquiaga, Segundo, National Centre for Agrobiology Research (EMBRAPA­CNPAB), Km 47, Seropedica, Itaguai, 23851N970, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Vanderleyden, Jozef, F.A. Janssens Laboratory of Genetics, Catholic Universityof Leuven, W De Croylaan 42, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium

Vasilyeva, N.D., All-Russian Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology,Podbelsky Sh.3, Pushkin-8, Saint-Petersburg, 189620, Russia

Vermeiren, Hans, F.A. Janssens Laboratory of Genetics, Catholic University ofLeuven, W De Croylaan 42, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium

Vorobyov, N.!., Laboratory of Biological Nitrogen, Research Institute forAgricultural Microbiology, Podbelsky Sh. 3, Saint-Petersburg-Pushkin 8, 189620,Russia

Wang, Y.D., Institute for Application of Atomic Energy, Chinese Academy ofAgricultural Sciences. PO Box 5109, Beijing 100094, PR China

Wang, Y.S., Research Center of Biotechnology, Hebei University, Baoding, HebeiProvince 071002, PR China

Weeden, Norman F., Department of Horticultural Sciences, Cornell University,Geneva, NY 14456, USA

Wheeler, C.T., Bower Building, Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biol­ogy, IBLS, Glasgow University, Glasgow GI2 8QQ, UK

Widdowson, D., Botany Department, University of Nairobi, POBox 30197,Nairobi, Kenya

Wilson, J.M., School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor, UK

Wood, Craig, SUNFix Centre for Nitrogen Fixation, Department of AgriculturalChemistry and Soil Science, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia

Xueqin, Shan, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093,PRChina

Yang, H.L., Institute for Application of Atomic Energy, Chinese Academy ofAgricultural Sciences. PO Box 5109, Beijing 100094, PR China

xxii List of Contributors

Yanni, Y.G., Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Kafr EI-Sheikh 33717, Egypt

You, C.B., Institute for Application of Atomic Energy, CAAS, PO Box 5109,Beijing 100094, PR China

Youssef, H., Environmental Research and Studies Unit, Department ofMicrobiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

Yu, Daiguan, SUNFix Centre for Nitrogen Fixation, Department of AgriculturalChemistry and Soil Science, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia

Yuxiang, Jing, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093,PR China

Zhao, Yinsuo, National Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology, Beijing AgriculturalUniversity, Beijing 100094, PR China