Sammendrag
Synopsis: Ethiopia is considered to be a centre of diversity for many
cultivated crop plants including several legume species. The indigenous
microbial flora associated with them also shows corresponding diversity.
However, despite being blessed with natural resources of great diversity, the
country has not yet exploited its resources to overcome recurrent famine.
While grain legumes are essential protein complements to the predominantly
carbon rich staples (enset, maize, root and tubers) in southern Ethiopia,
their potential to fix atmospheric nitrogen in association with rhizobia has
never been studied. The latter has attracted great interest in low input
agriculture to improve soil fertility and promote sustainable production.
Recent findings demonstrated that Ethiopian soils harbor several unique
strains of rhizobia whose nitrogen fixing efficiency is unknown. In the
project proposed here, we plan to investigate unexplored biodiversity resource
and develop an innovative utilization of leguminous plants and their plant
growth promoting bacteria in sustainable agriculture where farmers will be
introduced (using farmer?s field school approach) with new ways of increasing
production. Broad-host-range inoculants will be produced for target legume
crops. In the process, the capacity of the institution will be raised in
research competence (facilities, MSc and PhD trainings), and ongoing graduate
program strengthened.
Vis fullstendig beskrivelse
Vitenskapelig sammendrag
Synopsis: Ethiopia is considered to be a centre of diversity for many
cultivated crop plants including several legume species. The indigenous
microbial flora associated with them also shows corresponding diversity.
However, despite being blessed with natural resources of great diversity, the
country has not yet exploited its resources to overcome recurrent famine.
While grain legumes are essential protein complements to the predominantly
carbon rich staples (enset, maize, root and tubers) in southern Ethiopia,
their potential to fix atmospheric nitrogen in association with rhizobia has
never been studied. The latter has attracted great interest in low input
agriculture to improve soil fertility and promote sustainable production.
Recent findings demonstrated that Ethiopian soils harbor several unique
strains of rhizobia whose nitrogen fixing efficiency is unknown. In the
project proposed here, we plan to investigate unexplored biodiversity resource
and develop an innovative utilization of leguminous plants and their plant
growth promoting bacteria in sustainable agriculture where farmers will be
introduced (using farmer?s field school approach) with new ways of increasing
production. Broad-host-range inoculants will be produced for target legume
crops. In the process, the capacity of the institution will be raised in
research competence (facilities, MSc and PhD trainings), and ongoing graduate
program strengthened.
Vis fullstendig beskrivelse