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Volume 07
Advances in Crop Science and Technology
ISSN: 2329-8863
Agri 2019
August 15-16, 2019
August 15-16, 2019 | Rome, Italy
14
th
International Conference on
Agriculture & Horticulture
Stability and field evaluation of rhizobia in alfalfa seed treatment
Virginia Estévez Geffriaud, Laura Vergara Fontova, Jordi Ballester Valveny
and
Juan Jesús Narváez Reinaldo
Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain
Statement of the problem
: Alfalfa cultivation in the world is necessary for forage uses in animal feeding. Nodulation
by nitrogen-fixing bacteria is highly used in agriculture and it is well-known that the inoculation of leguminous
plants increments nitrogen input in the plant increasing ultimately yield. However, the application of this kind of
bacteria in the seed is relatively new. Seed Technology comprises a series of methods, techniques and protocols that
allow the improvement of the seed after it is produced. Seed treatment, is a part of Seed Technology that it is defined
by the use of different compounds adhered to the seed in order to improve its performance once cultivated. The aim
of this study is to determine the dosage, stability through time and the effects on plant performance in the field of a
seed treatment consisting of two rhizobia strains in alfalfa seeds.
Methodology &Theoretical Orientation
: Formulation and coating of the seeds, plate-counting dilution protocol in
rhizobia-specific medium, stability of the rhizobia inoculation in the seed through time, evaluation of germination
and vigor protocols and field testing and evaluation of the seed treatment. Findings: The formulation protocol is
effective and allows retention and survival of the bacterial strains through time, providing higher weight to the
seeds and protecting them from external damage. Miniaturization of plate-counting traditional method allows
quality control of the treated seeds in an easy and cost-effective manner. Rhizobia seed treatment showed increased
germination (5-9%) and field testing showed increased plant stand (8.9%), percentage of nodulation (15.5%) and
yield in dry weight per hectare (2%).
Conclusion and significance
: In SEMILLAS FITO company we developed a seed coating for alfalfa inoculated
with alfalfa-specialized rhizobium and free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria that improved germination under chilling
stress, prevents the seed from external damage, increases plant stand, percentage of nodulation and fresh weight of
aerial parts.
Virginia Estévez Geffriaud et al., Adv Crop Sci Tech 2019, Volume 07
Fig 1. Upper left: seeds with or without the treatment. Upper right: colonies of rhizobia. Lower left: agitating rhizobia
for plate-dilution method. Lower right: nodule of rhizobia in alfalfa roots