The Legume/Rhizobium Symbiosis: Limitations to Maximizing Nitrogen Fixation

Abstract

Although the recent fall in the price of oil will ultimately be reflected in some reduction in the price of nitrogenous fertilizers the cost of the latter will still be sufficient to maintain interest in techniques of biological nitrogen fixation. This is attractive, in the sense that it involves direct utilization of atmospheric nitrogen as a free good but there are some costs, not yet possible to evaluate, to be set on the debit side. There is, therefore, need for much more research.