bacteria for Desmanthus illinoensis

[Guest Trichus]

Does anyone know where I can get some nitrogen fixing bacteria for my D.illinoenois?

Also I'm looking for seeds of D.jabiru or any other native Desmanthus species.

thanks,

trichus

[Torsten]

For 5 years my Desmanthus ill looked really ill. This year it finally grew past the 20cm mark to 80cm and the leaflets stretched from 2cm to 6cm. Something happened and it is finally happy. I had given up on it, so there was no change in fertiliser, position or soil. I think it finally caught the right bug. I will carefully have a look for rootnodes just before winter and if they are there I will gladly supply little soil inocculant baggies.

[theobromos]

It is probably worth trying nodules from any other Mimosoids. I believe you might have a few in Australia.

[dutchie]

HIya, I have some seedlings that are also very slow growing, would local acacia soil work for this??

Also, would I need to introduce a like organizm into my a.confusa seedling tray... maybe water with some soil soaked water....

[Guest reville]

without doing much research i can tell you that there are several families of rhizobium bacteria..

They differ in their adaptation biochemically and genetically to the symbiont.

I would try rootnodes off other leguminous plants from the same area of the world before trying the natives

maybe some clovers.

then acacias,albizzias,mimosas,lucerne,sesbanias etc

The lab lab (Dolichos purpurea)bean carries bradyrhizobia i know that.

try and isolate the actual bacteria infected tissue otherwise you might accidentally give your plants nematodes!they look similar to an untrained eye

pull out the said nodules and break a few open

an active nodule will be a pink to pinky brown colour inside.you might then dig out the tissue from several and put in boiled water (sterility an issue?i dont know?)

shake and then water your plant with it, keep

moist but well drained for a while to let the bacteria infect.

all this is just speculation drawn from what i know about rhizobia - tell me if im full of shit ok

[theobromos]

You are full of useful bacteria and their usual substrate Try the mimosoid genera (Acacia, Mimosa, Albizia, Paraserianthes, for example) first before the more distantly related beans. The bacteria are a little fussy.