Abstract:
The research report being presented here pertains to an
important field in Biological Sciences specially useful to crop
nutrition with regards to nitrogen enrichment of cultivable fields
through the use of phenomenon popularly known as BNF (biological
nitrogen fixation).
There are many facets of BNF. The most common is that one
where leguminous crop plants are used in a 'crop rotation', the
best example being certain pulse crops such as gram, lentil, etc.
and many fodder crops such as lucerne, alfalfa, etc.
In recent years, Scientists have found out that there are some
non- l e gume s wh i ch can a 1 s o carry on n i t r o gen f i xat i on due t o
activities of some special microorganism called actinomycetes in
the root nodules of these plants. These plants unlike legumes are
shrubs or small trees.
Our present research activities relate to these non-leguminous
plants in the forest areas of Azad Kashmir. It is considered that
application of fertilizers can be replaced by associating fruit
plants with such a shrub which can enrich the soil with nitrogen
and thus the fruit plant can yield high productivity.
Fortunately we have been successful in our efforts and such
microorganisms have been isolated and are under investigation for
their effective use as a tool of BNF.
