Genotypic variability for tolerance to low soil phosphorus availability in faba bean (Vicia faba L.)

Abstract

The capacity of legumes to fix atmospheric dinitrogen in partnership with rhizobia provides an input-saving and resource-conserving alternative, thereby reducing the need for chemical fertilizers while enhancing overall crop productivity. However, low soil nutrient availability, notably phosphorus (P), is among the most nutrient limitations for legumes, since legume nodules responsible for N₂ fixation have a high P requirement. In order to explore the genetic variability for P uptake and use efficiency in low-P availability in soils, three faba bean genotypes namely Sidi Aich, Castel and Diva were studied in two field sites (S1 and S2) over two growing seasons 2018 and 2019. At flowering stage, plants were harvested and analyzed for their nodulation, growth, P content and yield. Results indicate that low-P availability in the soil of S1 significantly limited plant growth, nodulation, and grain yield for all genotypes though with highest extent for Diva and Castel. We found a significant correlation between nodule growth of all genotypes and Olsen-P content in the rhizosphere soil during two growing seasons. It is concluded that the genotypes selected for their P uptake and use efficiency had a higher yield and could best adapt to low-P availability under field conditions.

Keywords:

• faba bean
• legumes
• nitrogen fixation
• nutrient efficiency
• phosphorus
• soil fertility

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the CROSYMED Project, funded through the ARIMNet2 2017 Joint Call by the funding agency FNRSDT/DGRSDT, Algeria. ARIMNet2 (ERA-NET) has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no. 618127. This work was also funded by the PRFU project (D04N01UN440120180001) run by the Algerian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.