EFFECT OF INOCULANT CARRIER ON SURVIVAL OF Rhizobium ON INOCULATED SEED
1982
Kremer, R. J. (Robert J.) | PETERSON, HAROLD L.
Rhizobia inoculated on leguminous seeds are often exposed to adverse environmental conditions, which affects survival and subsequent effectiveness. Studies were performed to examine the effects of temperature-moisture stress on rhizobia inoculated on seeds in peat-base and oil-base inoculants. Plate count and most-probable-number analyses were used to determine the survival of rhizobia on seeds planted in dry sand at specific sampling times. Plants were grown from inoculated seeds after exposure to 16 days of temperature-moisture stress to assess nodulation and plant growth. For bean seeds that were inoculated with 10 cells of Rhizobium phaseoli 931A, 3.0 X 10 cells/seed (plate counts) were recovered from seeds inoculated with the oil-base carrier, compared with 8.0 X 10/seed with peat-base inoculant. Oil-base inoculants, in this instance, promoted higher survival of rhizobia on seed than did peat-base inoculants. Plants inoculated with oil-base inoculants had higher nodule numbers and weights than plants inoculated with peat-base inoculants. Shoot dry weights and total nitrogen content were likewise increased with oil-base inoculants. Results suggest that oil-base inoculants may provide more protection than peat-base inoculants when rhizobia are inoculated on seeds and exposed to conditions of drought and high temperature.
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