The effects of a high level of N, applied at planting, on nodulation of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) by diverse strains of Bradyrhizobium

Abstract

The capabilities of 36 diverse strains of bradyrhizobia to nodulate the soybean cv. Wilkin were determined in pots using starter-N levels of 0 and 51 mM (KNO3). At 21 days after planting, the strains showed a broad range of nodule number per plant. Nodulation was totally suppressed by N only in a group of strains which also formed relatively few nodules under N-free conditions. When plants were grown until 42 days, these strains continued to be poorly infective under N-free conditions, whereas their nodulation was greatly improved by the high-N treatment (N became limiting at between 21 and 42 days in the high-N treatment). We conclude that optimization of plant growth potential, by application of N, is important when determining strain infectivity.