Restoration of Degraded Pasture Soils on the Basis of EM Associations

What is it about?

To restore the degraded pastures, we are planning to use EM associations with simultaneous sowing of perennial meadow grasses. The composition of meadow grasses will include alfalfa, sweet clover and white clover. However, when studying soil microflora of degraded pastures, it was found that there are practically no nitrogen-fixing root nodule bacteria. The aim of this research was isolation, identification and study nitrogen-fixing root nodule bacteria and select the most promising among them for developing EM associations. The indigenous rhizobia adapted to the climatic and soil conditions of pastures have been isolated from the nodules on the roots of wild legumes, which grow on natural pastures in Kazakhstan. Their nitrogen-fixing activity, ability to stimulate plant growth and nodulation were studied. The three best strains were selected and identified: two strains of nodule bacteria belong to the genus Sinorhizobium, species S. meliloti L23 and S. medicae D26, and one strain to the genus Rhizobium (Rh. leguminosarum bv. trifolii K24). These strains are comprised in the composition of EM association. At the present time, EM associations are being tested under the field conditions on the degraded pasture soils of Kazakhstan.

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