ABSTRACT
Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) is an exotic crop to Ethiopia. Hence, inoculation with effective Bradyrhizobia spp. is crucial to improve its productivity. This study was therefore conducted in West Gojam Zone of Amhara Region in 2015 and 2016 aimed at evaluating the effect of bradyrhizobia strains (MAR-1495, SB-12 and TAL-379) with and without phosphorus fertilizer (23 kg P2O5 ha-1) on root nodulation and yield of soybean, and on residual soil nitrogen. The treatments were laid in randomized complete block design including a satellite control treatment with three replications. Effect of the use of rhizobia strains and P fertilizer on nodulation, yield and yield components of soybean was found statistically significant (P<0.05). The highest grain and dry matter yields of 2.7 and 6.4 t ha-1, respectively, were obtained from MAR-1495+P which was statistically at par with the yields obtained from MAR-1495 alone. A grain yield advantage of 30.8% over the control treatment was found from the use of MAR-1495 alone. Similarly, the maximum number of effective nodules (14.9) per plant was recorded from MAR-1495+P which was statistically at par with the number of effective nodules (11.6) per plant counted from MAR-1495 inoculated treatment. The highest residual soil N exceeding the control treatment by 0.029% (0.29 g total N per kg soil) was obtained from MAR-1495 alone. Therefore, inoculation with the strain MAR-1495 was found the most effective for improved soybean production in the study district and similar agroecologies.
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