Nontarget effects of foliar fungicide application on the rhizosphere: diversity of nifH gene and nodulation in chickpea field.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

This study explores nontarget effects of fungicide application on field-grown chickpea.

Methods and results

Molecular methods were used to test the effects of foliar application of fungicide on the diversity and distribution of nifH genes associated with two chickpea cultivars and their nodulation. Treatments were replicated four times in a split-plot design in the field, in 2008 and 2009. Chemical disease control did not change the richness of the nifH genes associated with chickpea, but selected different dominant nifH gene sequences in 2008, as revealed by correspondence analysis. Disease control strategies had no significant effect on disease severity or nifH gene distribution in 2009. Dry weather conditions rather than disease restricted plant growth that year, sug

SUBMITTER: Yang C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3489047 | biostudies-literature | 2012 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature