Influence of Crop Rotation on Peanut (Arachis hypogaeaL.) Response toBradyrhizobiumin North Carolina

Abstract

AbstractPeanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) response to inoculation with Bradyrhizobium can vary depending on edaphic and environmental conditions and cropping history. Determining if response is associated with the number years between peanut plantings may increase understanding of when to expect a positive response to inoculation of peanut. Four experiments were conducted in North Carolina to determine peanut response to in-furrow inoculation with Bradyrhizobium when a range of years and typical crops grown in North Carolina often separating peanut plantings. Rotations varied from continuous peanut in some experiments to as many as five years of a non-peanut crop separating peanut plantings. The interaction of crop rotation by inoculation treatment (no inoculation versus in-furrow application of Bradyrhizobium) was not significant for visually estimated peanut canopy color or pod yield in any of the experiments. However, the main effect of rotation was significant in three of four experiments while the main effect of inoculation was significant in two of four experiments. Increasing the number of years a non-peanut crop was planted between peanut plantings increased yield in three of four experiments. Results from these experiments suggest that using the number of non-peanut crops included between peanut plantings is not a good indicator of determining when peanut will respond positively to inoculation with Bradyrhizobium.