Les arbres fixateurs d’azote en foresterie and agroforesterie tropicales

Abstract

There are urgent needs to promote the use of tree species showing low nutritional requirements for growth, especially nitrogen and phosphorus. N2-fixing trees (NFT) appear to be the most suitable candidates for soil rehabilitation and reforestation in the tropics if they are adequatly inoculated with their specific and effective microsymbionts. The two major types of NFT are Legumes (associated with Rhizobium) and actinorhizal plants (associated with Frankia). However, among these two types, one should be well aware of the fact that only some of NFT have a high N2-fixing potential.Further investigations on the physiology of the host plant and that of the microbial partner are necessary to enhance the potentiality of nitrogen fixation. New concepts and techniques for optimizing the utilization of biological nitrogen fixation in agroforesty are discussed. © 1988 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.