Abstract The family Leguminosae comprises approximately 20,000 species that mostly form symbioses with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and nitrogen-fixing bacteria (NFB). This study is aimed at investigating and confirming the dependence on nodulation and biological nitrogen fixation in the specie Piptadenia gonoacantha (Mart.) Macbr., which belongs to the Piptadenia group. Two consecutive experiments were performed in a greenhouse. The experiments were fully randomized with six replicates and a factorial scheme. For the treatments, the two AMF species and three NFB strains were combined to nodulate P. gonoacantha in addition to the control treatments. The results indicate this species’ capacity for nodulation without the AMF; however, the AMF + NFB combinations yielded a considerable gain in P. gonoacantha shoot weight compared with the treatments that only included inoculating with bacteria or AMF. The results also confirm that the treatment effects among the AMF + NFB combinations produced different shoot dry weight/root dry weight ratios. We conclude that AMF is not necessary for nodulation and that this dependence improves species development because plant growth increases upon co-inoculation.

RESUMO A cultura da seringueira (Hevea brasiliensis) pode acumular quantidades significativas de carbono, seja na biomassa ou no solo. No entanto, ainda se está longe de uma compreensão abrangente sobre o potencial de estoque de C entre os diferentes clones de seringueira, em razão de esses serem tipicamente formados para exibir outras características, como aumento de produtividade e maior tolerância às doenças. Assim, este estudo teve como objetivo abordar as diferenças entre plantios clonais de seringueira, buscando preencher a lacuna decorrente da seguinte indagação: A hipótese do estudo foi que os diferentes clones de seringueira, desenvolvidos para serem adaptados a distintas condições ambientais e biológicas, divergem em termos de estoque de C no solo e na biomassa. Foram comparados os estoques de C no solo em quatro profundidades e profundidade total (0,00-0,05; 0,05-0,10; 0,10-0,20; 0,20-0,40; e 0,00-0,40 m) e nos diferentes compartimentos da biomassa arbórea. Foram comparados cinco diferentes clones de seringueira com sete anos de idade (FX 3864, FDR 5788, PMB 1, MDX 624 e CDC 312), que foram implantados em um delineamento em blocos casualizados, no campo experimental da Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Não foi observada diferença entre os plantios clonais de seringueira quanto aos estoques de C no solo, mesmo considerando o estoque total de 0,00-0,40 m. Diferentemente do que ocorreu no estoque de C no solo, os plantios clonais divergiram em termos de C na biomassa arbórea, com a fração tronco contribuindo majoritariamente para o total do C da biomassa. Foi verificado que a biomassa arbórea e o solo contribuem diferentemente para o estoque de C total, 36,2 e 63,8 %, respectivamente. Os padrões observados indicaram que, independentemente das diferenças entre clones, o cultivo de seringueira em si pode ser interessante para elevar o estoque de C do solo.

ABSTRACT Rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) crop may accumulate significant amounts of carbon either in biomass or in the soil. However, a comprehensive understanding of the potential of the C stock among different rubber tree clones is still distant, since clones are typically developed to exhibit other traits, such as better yield and disease tolerance. Thus, the aim of this study was to address differences among different areas planted to rubber clones. We hypothesized that different rubber tree clones, developed to adapt to different environmental and biological constrains, diverge in terms of soil and plant biomass C stocks. Clones were compared in respect to soil C stocks at four soil depths and the total depth (0.00-0.05, 0.05-0.10, 0.10-0.20, 0.20-0.40, and 0.00-0.40 m), and in the different compartments of the tree biomass. Five different plantings of rubber clones (FX3864, FDR 5788, PMB 1, MDX 624, and CDC 312) of seven years of age were compared, which were established in a randomized block design in the experimental field in Rio de Janeiro State. No difference was observed among plantings of rubber tree clones in regard to soil C stocks, even considering the total stock from 0.00-0.40 m depth. However, the rubber tree clones were different from each other in terms of total plant C stocks, and this contrast was predominately due to only one component of the total C stock, tree biomass. For biomass C stock, the MDX 624 rubber tree clone was superior to other clones, and the stem was the biomass component which most accounted for total C biomass. The contrast among rubber clones in terms of C stock is mainly due to the biomass C stock; the aboveground (tree biomass) and the belowground (soil) compartments contributed differently to the total C stock, 36.2 and 63.8 %, respectively. Rubber trees did not differ in relation to C stocks in the soil, but the right choice of a rubber clone is a reliable approach for sequestering C from the air in the biomass of trees.