Seed and leaf inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense and increasing nitrogen in wheat production

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the efficiency of inoculation based on the bacteria Azospirillum brasilense, in wheat crop performance with increasing nitrogen rates, in temperate conditions. The experiment was conducted on the wheat crop in a no-tillage system at the Federal University of Santa Catarina - Brazil, over two years (2013 and 2014). The experimental design was randomized blocks, in a 3x4 factorial model, with four replicates, combining three forms of wheat inoculation (seed inoculation, no inoculation, and leaf inoculation) with four N rates (0, 75, 150 and 225 kg ha-1 of N). A joint analysis of experiments (two assessment years) was used. Biometric parameters and yield components were evaluated. There was no three-way relationship among the factors. Inoculation effect was only significant for ear length and plant height, with different response accordingly to assessment year. The effect of N rate was a quadratic response for all variables. The best results for the variables were with the application of 150 to 225 kg N ha-1. The application of 215 kg N ha-1 with no inoculation resulted in the best management for wheat cultivation.