STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING NODULATION AND NITROGEN FIXATION OF LEGUMINOUS CROPS TO ENHANCE PRODUCTION

Leguminous crops play a unique function in biological nitrogen fixation, which allows them to fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil. In the presence of nitrogenase, biological nitrogen fixation is a natural way of converting atmospheric nitrogen (N2) to ammonia in a form that plants can use. Farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa face an issue with low agricultural productivity. Low yields in leguminous crops are a result of diminishing soil fertility, reduced N2-fixation, soil acidity, overcultivation, and poor soil management methods, all of which cause soils to be nitrogen and phosphorus deficient, rendering them prone to erosion and resulting in land degradation. It has been found that organic matter treatment elevated soil pH from 5.0 to 6.5 after 90 days. The majority of farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa cannot afford the high prices of mineral fertiliser, so much of it is imported, putting a strain on foreign exchange. As a result, farmers are recommended to intercrop with legumes or undertake crop rotation to assist enhance soil nitrogen levels and thus production. This review paper aims to disclose techniques to improve legume nodulation and nitrogen fixation in smallholder farming systems in order to boost production.

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