Effects of rhizobia inoculation and nitrogen fertilization on photosynthetic physiology of soybean

Plant growth, contents of photosynthetic pigments, photosynthetic gas exchange, and chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. cv. Heinong37] were investigated after it was inoculated with Sinorhizobium fredii USDA191 or treated with 5 mM (NH4)2SO4 (N5) and 30 mM (NH4)2SO4 (N30), respectively. In the plants following N5 fertilization, not only plant biomass, leaf area, and Chl content, but also net photosynthetic rate (P N), stomatal conductance (g s), carboxylation efficiency (CE), maximum photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) of photosystem 2 (PS2), and quantum yield of PS2 (ΦPS2) were markedly improved as compared with the control plants. There were also positive effects on plant growth and plant photosynthesis after rhizobia inoculation, but the effects were much less than those of N5 fertilization. For N30 plants there were no significant positive effects on plant growth and photosynthetic capacity. Plant biomass, P N, and g s were similar to those of N-limited (control) plants. ΦPS2 and photochemical quenching (qP) were obviously declined while content of carotenoids and non-photochemical quenching (qN) were significantly enhanced in N30 treated plants. This indicated that excess N supply may cause some negative effects on soybean plants.