Can co-inoculation of Rhizobium tropici and Azospirillum brasilense increase common bean nodulation and grain yield?

Abstract

The use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) associated with rhizobia may optimize the biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), decrease chemical fertilizer-N use and increase plant growth and yield of the bean crop. A study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of co-inoculation of Rhizobium tropici and Azospirillum brasilense, and nitrogen fertilizer topdressing on nodulation, growth, and yield of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in a sandy soil from the Brazilian tropical savanna (Cerrado) region, during the two growing seasons ("spring-summer" and "summer-fall"). The experimental design was a split plot in randomized blocks with four replicates. Plots consisted of four inoculation treatment on seeds: control (non-inoculated); inoculation with Rhizobium tropici; inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense; and co-inoculation with R. tropici and A. brasilense; and subplots of five N rates in topdressing (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg ha -1 ). The inoculation with R. tropici alone or combined with A. brasilense enhanced root nodulation and grain yield of the common beans when the crop was grown during the dry season in the Brazilian savanna region. Therefore, the positive response of inoculation with rhizobia and azospirilla on the grain yield is dependent of the environmental conditions during the growing season, especially the low rainfall rate by stimulating root nodulation. The inoculation with A. brasilense alone was not an efficient agronomic practice to be used in common beans cropping under Brazilian conditions, because resulting grain yield equivalent to the non-inoculated plants in the two growing seasons. The increase of N application rates inhibits the formation and growth of root nodules of the common beans. The optimal N application rate in topdressing for common beans grown in sandy soils from the Brazilian savanna region may range between 80 and 90 kg N ha -1 .