Effets de l'inoculation avec des souches deRhizobium leguminosarumbiovartrifoliisur la croissance du blé dans deux sols du Maroc

One hundred strains of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii were isolated from roots of wheat cultivated in rotation with clover in two different regions of Morocco. The isolates were first screened for their effect on the growth of the cultivar Rihane of wheat cultivated in an agricultural soil under greenhouse conditions. After 5 weeks of growth, 14 strains stimulating the fresh or dry matter yield of shoots were selected and used in a second pot inoculation trial performed with two different agricultural soils. The results show that the strains behaved differently according to the soil used. In the loamy sand Rabat, strain IAT 168 behaved potentially like a plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), as indicated by the 24% increases (P < 0.1) observed in wheat shoot dry matter and grain yields. In the silty clay Merchouch, no PGPR activity was observed, and 6 strains showed a significant deleterious effect on yields. These observations suggest that it is very important in a crop rotation system to choose a R. leguminosarum bv. trifolii strain that is effective with clover and shows PGPR activity with wheat to avoid deleterious effects on wheat yields.Key words: deleterious bacteria, PGPR (plant growth promoting rhizobacteria), Trifolium alexandrinum, Triticum aestivum.