Chapter 1
I Groping In A Strange Environment: 1788-1851
II Farmers Take The Initiative: 1851-1888
III Enter Education And Science: 1888-1927
IV Agricultural Science Pays Dividends: 1927-1987
V Examples Of Research And Development 1928-1988
i Land assessment
ii Improving the environment
iii Adapting to the environment
iv Improving farm management
VI International Aspects Of Agricultural Research
VII Future Prospects
VIII Acknowledgements
References
Index
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For such reasons there have been (and still are) many occasions when the successful introduction and establishment of particular species and varieties of new legumes has depended on the simultaneous introduction of selected, well-tested rhizobia. In turn, their successful introduction has often required soil amelioration, notably in the reduction of soil acidity or the supply of plant nutrients such as phosphorus, sulphur, molybdenum or cobalt.
To overcome the many problems associated with the introduction of appropriate rhizobia and successful legume nodulation a great deal of research has been undertaken by Australian agricultural scientists, particularly since the early 1950s, and this has been characterised by a high level of cooperation between manufacturers and the staffs of State, Commonwealth and university departments.[77] Important improvements have been made in the manufacture, supply and use of rhizobial inoculants and Australian research in this field has received worldwide acclaim, with the results now finding application in both American continents, Europe, Africa and Asia.
In particular, Australian research has sought to:
- define host-specific rhizobial strain requirements;
- introduce, test and select rhizobial strains to meet the needs of agriculturally important legumes;
- produce and distribute rhizobia in quantity for use under field conditions, commonly as 'seed inoculants';
- control the quality of legume inoculants in order to maximise their successful, onfarm use;
- define and provide conditions that secure greater and earlier effectiveness of nitrogen-fixing nodulation.
In pursuing these aims it was first necessary to establish a co-operative research and testing agency, the main responsibility for which was originally undertaken by Dr. (later Professor) J. M. Vincent at the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Sydney, with the support of the New South Wales Department of Agriculture. Later this was to develop into the Australian Inoculant Research and Control Service which was hosted by the NSW Department but operated on an Australia-wide basis. In addition to ensuring a continuing supply of fresh strains of rhizobia to meet changing specificity in the host plants, for example with the introduction of new leguminous species or cultivars, and to detecting bacterial strain variations which caused loss or reduction in symbiotic activity, research successfully developed technologies for storing, handling and using inoculants under farming conditions.
In order to ensure the long-term survival of inoculants, the use of a carrier of gammairradiated peat was developed. When inoculated seed was sown in acid soils, or aerially sown, pellets were developed which incorporated the seed, the inoculum and a covering of calcium carbonate, or similar material, which resulted in better survival of the rhizobia and therefore better growth of the germinating seed. In species where the direct treatment of seeds proved less satisfactory, a technique was introduced in which the inoculant was placed into drill rows in close proximity to the seeds but not in immediate contact with them. In many situations, however, the direct drilling of inoculated seed, together with lime-treated superphosphate, resulted in early nodulation and effective plant response.
To extend and exchange the growing body of information on various aspects of this topic, of vital importance when growing leguminous crops and pastures in tropical, sub-tropical and temperate regions, an informal technical publication, the 'Rhizobium Newsletter', was produced from 1956 to 1981 and distributed first throughout Australia and, later, on a world-wide basis.
Organisations in Australian Science at Work - Australian Inoculant Research and Control Service
People in Bright Sparcs - Vincent, Prof. J. M.
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Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering |  |
© 1988 Print Edition pages 44 - 45, Online Edition 2000
Published by Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, using the Web Academic Resource Publisher
http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/048.html