Abstract
The study evaluated the efficacy of different adhesives added to rhizobial seed inoculum on soybean nodulation and biological nitrogen fixation in a screen house and under field conditions. The experiment was a 6×3 factorial arranged in Completely Randomized Design and Randomized Complete Block Design for the pot and field trials, respectively, with 3 replications. Cassava starch (CSV), corn starch (CS), honey (H), gelatine (G), gum arabic (GA) and water (W) were mixed with Rhizo-fix® at three ratios: 1: 1, 1:2 and 1:3 (inoculants: adhesive).Viable rhizobial cells on coated seeds were determined using plate count technique from serially diluted 10-4 aliquot. Nitrogen fixation (NF) was determined using ureide method. Gelatine had most rhizobial cells on seeds (CFU/seed). It had 88, 87 and 84% significant increment when compared with CSV, corn starch CS and GA, respectively. However, CSV and CS considerably had more N fixed than G and was positively correlated with nodule fresh weight. Mixing ratios had no effect on parameters observed. Generally, results obtained by locally sourced adhesives averagely equalled those obtained by the conventional adhesives that had better adhering capability. Thus, locally sourced adhesives could be an alternative to conventional adhesives which are often more expensive and not readily available. Moreover, since mixing ratio had no significant effect on most parameters measured, then the least ratio (1:1) which is probably the most economical should be adopted for rhizobial inoculation.Keywords: adhesives, inoculation, Bradyrhizobium japonicum, nitrogen fixation
Highlights
Seed rhizobial inoculation is a technology that helps provide N to soil biologically and indirectly reduces the problems associated with the use of inorganic sources of N and its benefits to both soil and the environment cannot be overemphasized
The success of Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) in a bid to tackle the insufficiency of N in most agricultural lands, especially in the tropics can only be achieved if the appropriate amount of viable rhizobial cells are been preserved and kept active before the onset of nodulation and nitrogen fixation in order to positively affect plant growth
As the use of efficient strains of inoculants is important in BNF studies (Green et al, 1979, Streeter, 2007) so is the use of adhesive agents as it helps in increasing the amount of rhizobial cell that adheres to seed (Rugheim, and Abdelgani, 2012)
Summary
Seed rhizobial inoculation is a technology that helps provide N to soil biologically and indirectly reduces the problems associated with the use of inorganic sources of N and its benefits to both soil and the environment cannot be overemphasized. As the use of efficient strains of inoculants is important in BNF studies (Green et al, 1979, Streeter, 2007) so is the use of adhesive agents (e.g., gum arabic, , methyl cellulose, and oil) as it helps in increasing the amount of rhizobial cell that adheres to seed (Rugheim, and Abdelgani, 2012) Most of these adhesive agents are not readily available and are expensive for local farmers. Water was applied to each pot to saturation and the organic fertilizer was left to mineralize for another two weeks before the commencement of planting This was done so as to ensure that the soil condition was favourable for seed growth. Pearson’s Correlation analysis was employed to test relationship between components
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