Abstract
In the context of sustainable research aiming at improving seed yield and maintaining soil fertility, a study on cross-inoculation of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean (L.) Verd.) with rhizobia strains from four crop legumes was carried out at Sarh (Chad) and Ngaoundere (Cameroon). The experiment was conducted in each site following a randomized complete block design with 6 treatments known as the control, and 5 cross-inoculation formulations (RA, RN, RS, RV and MR), each of which was replicated thrice. Results obtained show that cross-inoculation contributed to the improvement of growth (plant sizes and biomasses) of the two crop legumes, as well as their seed yield at harvest. The enhanced yield expressed in kg/ha varied from 9.83% to 63.73% for groundnut and 72.71% for Bambara groundnut. These findings suggest that groundnut and Bambara groundnut do have a symbiotic affinity with rhizobia from other crop legumes. Whereas Groundnut, Cowpea, Soybean, Bambara groundnut rhizobia (GR, CR, SR, BR) alone, and the fourth in a mixture (RM) could be used to help improving groundnut seed yields; this mixture would not be indicated for intensive cultivation of Bambara groundnut later.
Highlights
In sub-Saharan Africa, in the Sudano-Guinean savannahs, soils are generally depleted in nitrogen and organic matter by cash crops such as cotton
Bambara groundnut rhizobia (BR) improved the seed yield of Bambara groundnut by 72.71%. These results are in agreement with recent findings which reported yield values varying between 300 to 800 kg∙ha−1 (Brink [36]), or between 524.25 kg and 912.1 kg∙ha−1 in Bambara groundnut dually inoculated in the field with rhizobia and mycorhiza (Ngakou et al [14]), but are twice those from which seed yield of between 130 to 470 kg∙ha−1 in was obtained (Salon et al [30])
This study has indicated that cross-inoculation did contribute to improve soil fertility and yield of groundnut and Bambara groundnut in the field
Summary
In sub-Saharan Africa, in the Sudano-Guinean savannahs, soils are generally depleted in nitrogen and organic matter by cash crops such as cotton. Population growth considerably reduces the area of arable land (Freeman et al [2]) All these phenomena create an imbalance between the quantity of agricultural products available and the food needs of the population on the one hand, and environmental management on the other. Growers manage to enhance their crop yields through the use of chemical inputs that are costly, and potentially are polluting human and its environment (Acosta et al [4]) In developing countries such as Chad and Cameroon, cereal crops are the basis of diet, its nutritional quality is deficient in protein (Tien et al [5]; Watier [6]). This lack of protein has stimulated the search for new sources of protein that can supplement or substitute existing proteins (Ahmet and Abdallah [7])
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