Unveiling the natural sulphur potential of biological nitrogen fixation in faba bean

PhD (University of Lincoln/PGRO/TMAF)

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is a natural process belonging to diverse legumes that symbiosis with bacteria through root nodules to fix atmospheric nitrogen. BNF has been well regarded for contributing N to the soil N balance, providing additional residual N resources to the following crop in the crop rotation. Root nodules have a high demand for sulphur. BNF is more sensitive to S deficiency than nitrate uptake in nodulated legumes. Indeed, legumes grown under S-deficit soils have decreased nodulation, nodule size, nodule metabolism and a substantial reduction of BNF due to decreased leghemoglobin and nitrogenase enzyme activity. While most of these research efforts have been derived from diverse legumes, a comprehensive view of sulphur nutrition to BNF in faba bean is poorly characterised. Further, the underlying mechanisms by which S deficiency limits BNF and how these responses differ between indeterminate vs determinate nodules are mainly unknown. This PhD aims to unveil the functional relationship between S nutrition and BNF in faba beans.

Sponsors:

Student:

Nandhini Jayashankar

Start Date: January 2025

Duration of study: 3.5 years