RECENT ADVANCES IN NODULATION AND NITROGEN FIXATION IN CEREALS

摘要

Increasing food demands of ever growing population will put tremendous pressure to increase agricultural yields. Non-legumes, such as wheat, rice, maize, oats, sorghum and sugarcane form the major crops of this planet. Nitrogen is the most limiting nutrient elements for their cultivation, For cultivation of modern varieties, use of chemical fertilizers has increased enormously in the last few decades. It is hoped that biological nitrogen fixation will help and solve some of the problems associated with the increasing costs of nitrogenous fertilizers, their detrimental effect on the environment, and scarce land resources. Moreover, in the wake of deepening energy crisis and decontrol of fertilizer prices, the crucial role of organics and biofertilizers in sustaining soil productivity and ensuring food securing must be realized. It is for these reasons that the feasibility of nodulation and nitrogen fixation in cereals itself must be investigated.