The availability of effective inoculant rhizobia is often critical to the successful development of productive forage legumes. Biserrula pelecinus L. is a legume with potential as forage in Ethiopia to improve livestock feed quality and soil fertility. B. pelecinus can form N₂‐fixing symbiosis with rhizobia in the genus Mesorhizobium. This study investigated the N₂ fixation effectiveness of 15 B. pelecinus‐nodulating Mesorhizobium strains on two subspecies of B. pelecinus (B. pelecinus ssp. leiocarpa, native to Ethiopia, and the introduced B. pelecinus ssp. pelecinus). The most effective strain (WSM3873) on both subspecies was assessed at two sites; one with pre‐existing populations of B. pelecinus‐nodulating rhizobia (Modjo), and one without (Holeta). No inoculation response was observed at Modjo when B. pelecinus ssp. pelecinus was inoculated with WSM3873 alone, however, biomass yield was greatest (11.5 tonne DM/ha) following inoculation along with co‐application of phosphorus and nitrogen. At Holeta, a strong inoculation response was achieved with WSM3873 alone on B. pelecinus ssp. pelecinus. In contrast, B. pelecinus ssp. leiocarpa did not show any response at Modjo and failed to emerge after sowing at Holeta. While the native legume B. pelecinus ssp. leiocarpa appears poorly suited to development as a forage, B. pelecinus ssp. pelecinus and WSM3873 represents a promising legume‐rhizobia symbiosis that could benefit farming systems of the central Ethiopian highlands.

中文翻译：

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Biserrula pelecinus L.是埃塞俄比亚中部高地的一种有前途的牧草豆类

有效的接种性根瘤菌的可获得性通常对成功发展生产性饲用豆类植物至关重要。Biserrula pelecinus L.是一种豆科植物，在埃塞俄比亚具有作为牧草的潜力，可以改善牲畜的饲料质量和土壤肥力。B. pelecinus可与中生根瘤菌属中的根瘤菌形成N ₂固定共生。本实验研究的N个₂固定效果15的B. pelecinus -nodulating中慢生根瘤菌菌株上的两个亚种B. pelecinus（B. pelecinus SSP。leiocarpa，原产于埃塞俄比亚，和所引入B. pelecinusssp。pelecinus）。在两个地点评估了两个亚种中最有效的菌株（WSM3873）。一例为原发性结核根瘤菌根瘤菌（Modjo），另一例为无（Holeta）。当B. pelecinus ssp出现在Modjo时未观察到接种反应。pelecinus用WSM3873单独接种，然而，生物量产率是最大的（11.5吨DM /公顷）接种后随着磷和氮的共应用。在Holeta，单独用WSM3873对Bele pelecinus ssp产生了很强的接种反应。凤尾鱼。相反，B。pelecinus ssp。莱奥卡帕在Modjo上没有表现出任何反应，在Holeta播种后也没有出现。而当地豆科植物B. pelecinus ssp。徕卡果似乎不适合作为牧草B. pelecinus ssp的发育。pelecinus和WSM3873代表着一种有前途的豆科-根瘤菌共生关系，可以使埃塞俄比亚中部高地的耕作制度受益。