Effect of rhizobial inoculation on the nodulation, growth and yield of Soybean in the Savannah regions of Nigeria

Abstract

Rhizobial inoculation is the introduction of rhizobium bacteria in a high concentration into the soil before or during the planting of crops. Field experiments were conducted during the rainy seasons of 2020, 2021, and 2022 at the Research farm of the Department of Crop Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Abuja, Gwagwalada, the Southern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria. The study aimed to analyse the effect of Bradyrhizobium japonicum inoculation on the nodulation, growth and yield parameters in Soybean. The treatments consisted of three Soybean varieties, namely TGX 1485-1D (early maturing), TGX 1448–2E (medium maturing), and TGX1987–10F (medium maturing) and Two levels of inoculant (control, with inoculant), The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD), with three replicates and 54 plots. Agronomic and cultural practices were duly observed, and data were collected for growth and yield parameters. Data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the ‘agricolae’ package in the R Statistical Programme (R version 4.2.2.), T-test was conducted using the SPSS statistical package (Version 23), and the Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) and Standard error (SE) were used to separate significant means at (P ≤ 0.05). Results showed that for all varieties of Soybean observed, the inoculated had the best performance (2685kg/ha, 2842.3kg/ha, 3038.5Kg/ha for TGX 1485-1D, TGX 1448–2E and TGX1987–10F respectively best compared to the control.