Rhizobium inoculation improves yield and nitrogen accumulation in soybean (Glycine max) cultivars better than fertiliser

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the effect of Rhizobium inoculation and nitrogen (n) fertiliser on n accumulation and yield in soybean (Glycine max). Six soybean cultivars belonging to maturity group (MG) II ('Corsoy 79’, ‘Dwight'), III ('Williams 79’, ‘Maverick'), and IV ('Cf 492’, ‘Pyramide') were grown following wheat in a double crop system in a clay soil, free of Bradyrhizobium japonicum, in 2002 and 2003. a split plot design with inoculation or no inoculation (N fertiliser application) as main plots and cultivars as subplot treatments was used, with three replications in both years. The results of these experiments indicated that inoculation increased N content and dry matter in seed and vegetative parts (stem and leaves), N harvest index, and seed yield. The interaction between inoculation and soybean cultivars (maturity group) showed that inoculation was more effective on late maturity cultivars for seed yield. © 2006 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.