Hi there
I am planting a mediterranean food forest on a 5 acre land here at israel.
i am planting many non native nitrogen fixinng trees (like Leucaena leucocephala, Inga Vera, Bolusanthus speciosus, Prosopos alba), and i am wonering if they really gonna fix nitrogen here since they are not native and probably the rhzobium they need just dont exist here.
what do you think?
thanks
Saar
Interesting questions. Soil fungi travel far and wide--I bet bacteria are similar. A Google Scholar search for Leucaena leucocephala inoculation turned up mixed results, mostly focussed on fungi (VAM). Consider finding individuals that are growing well, digging up some roots with hairs and soil, sticking them in a blender and mixing into potting soil.
http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Leucaena+leucocephala+inoculation&btnG=&hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C48&as_vis=1
Check the roots of the seedlings after they've been growing for a year or so. I was surprised to discover abundant, active nodules (activity is evidenced by their being reddish inside) on Albizzia and several Acacias, none of which are native here in CA. They are planted widely, so I imagine the necessary rhizobia have found their way here and are ubiquitous. I haven't seen them on the Casuarinas.....even though I see these around too. I need to dig around under a healthy one and see if I can find some!
Hi, thanks for the advice.
i checked both trees in the nursery and in the field, and on most of them i didnt found nodules. it could be lack of rhizobium, but also could be enough nitrogen in the soil.
anybody knos where can i order rhizobium for trees?
thanks
saar
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