Effect of rhizobia inoculation on nodulation and yield of moong [Vigna radiata (L) wilczek]

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Annals j Arid Zne-16 (), 79-84, 1977 Effect f rhizbia inculatin n ndulatin and yield f mng [Vigna radiata (L) wilczek] S. D. SNGH Central Arid Zne Research nstitute, Jdhpur (Received n 20

1 Annals j Arid Zne-16 (), 79-84, 1977 Effect f rhizbia inculatin n ndulatin and yield f mng [Vigna radiata (L) wilczek] S. D. SNGH Central Arid Zne Research nstitute, Jdhpur (Received n ) ABSTRACT Effects f rhizbium inculatin n ndulatin and yield f mng crp variety 'RS4' were studied. A small amunt f nitrgen and phsphrus prmted ndulatin n inculated plants. Hwever, inculated unfertilized plant ndulated prfusely during the nrmal perid f branching and flwer primrdial initiatin.. This may be the pssible reasn fr the highest number f riped pds n inculated cntrl plant. Thrugh a such gain in imprtant yield cntributing character, inculated cntrl crp gave 51 per cent higher yield than uninculated cntrl. Fr a nminal inculatin cst f Rs 8/ha, such yield gains are bund t grip the attentin f farmers. Yield gain f this magnitude culd nt be btained either frm 20 kg/ha f nitrgen, r 30 kg/ha f phsphrus, r the tw applied tgether. As far these data shw, rhizbia inculatin alne bviates the need fr fertilizer nitrgen and phsphrus in rnng crp t be grwn under natural rainfall cnditins. NTRODUCTON n the present cntext f fertilizer shrtage, bilgical means f adding nitrgen t the sil-plant system has gained mmentum in the integrated nutrient supply systems. t is realized that sil nitrgen status and sil cnditins as t misture supply greatly influence the ability f rhizbium t effect ndulatin and fix nitrgen. Plants in a lw nitrgen sil ndulate sparingly r nt at all, while a high sil nitrgen status depresses ndulatin and reduces fixatin (Richardsn et al., 1957; Kuneius, 1974; and Richards, 1974). t implies that n lw nitrgen (0.01 t 0.03 per cent) sils f western Rajasthan, a small amunt f nitrgen is essential fr ptimum ndulatin n legume rt system. t is als pssible that phsphate applicatin tgether with nitrgen may fster rt grwth which will prvide mre sites fr ndule prductin.

2 80 : S. D. SNGH Hwever, limited sil misture in lw rainfall years wuld limit the effectiveness f fertilizer, while excessive vegetative grwth when rainfall is nrmal wuld reduce pd frmatin and finally the grain yield. Further, it is pssible that extremely dry sil in ff seasn (Octber-June) thrives nly insufficient viable rhizbia t effect ndulatin. Thus in a regin where sils are nitrgen deficient, effectiveness f fertilizer per se is uncertain, and native rhizbia are insufficient t effect ndulatin, seed inculatin with rhizbia seems t be cheapest alternative fr management f sil nitrgen and better yields f leguminus crps. This paper deals with the respnse f mng crp t rhizbia inculatin and explres the pssibility f such inculatin as supplement r alternative t fertilizer uses under natural rainfall cnditins f western Rajasthan. EXPERMENTAL PROCEDURE The experiment, repeated ver three seasns-1968 t 1970, was lcated n a lamy sand sil at the Central Arid Zne Research nstitute Farm, Jdhpur. Effect f rhizbia inculatin n ndulatin and yield f mng crp was studied in relatin t fur fertility levels viz., n nitrgen and phsphrus, 20 kgjha nitrgen alne, 30 kgjha phsphrus alne, and the cmbinatin f these tw. Same fertility levels were cmbined with uninculated cntrl. Fertilizer grades used were urea and rdinary superphsphate. Full dse f nitrgen and phsphrus were applied at the time f swing. Seed was treated with rhizbium culture at planting time, by the methd same as suggested by the Divisin f Micrbilgy, ndian Agricultural Research nstitute, New Delhi. The design fllwed was fur randmised blcks, each with grss plt size f 8 rws X 45cm spacing X 4.5m length. Tw rws n either side and 40 cm at either end frmed the plt brder. Crp was swn after a saking rain as and when recrded in the three seasns. Plants within rws were spaced 15 cm apart by thinning. Observatins n ndule develpment were recrded (1970 nly) after excavating the rt system by gently washing the sil with a spray jet. RESUL TS AND DSCUSSON Grwing seasn rainfall varied largely in the three seasns, which determined degree f crp success and the size f yields. n 1968, the rainfall was 51.6 per cent belw the nrmal (366 mm), while in 1969 it was 77.4 per cent belw the nrmal. n 1970 crp seasn, the rainfall was 40.2 per cent abve the nrmal. The crp thus failed in 1969, while yields were heavily slashed in Table 1 shws yield f mng fr 1968 and 1970 successful crp seasns.

3 RHZOBA NOCULA non & MOONG YELD 81 Table 1. Effect f rhizbia inculatin n yield f mng crp kgfha f yield, kgfha Phs- Ni trgen phrus Unin- ncu- Respnse Unin- ncu- Respnse culated lated t incu- culated lated t inculatin latin SEm ::: LSD (0.05) n 1968, inculatin alne increased the yield f mng crp by 51 per cent. Such respnse t rhizbia inculatin was discernible als at nitrgen and phsphrus applied singly r in cmbinatin. But yields frm applicatin f either 20 kg f nitrgen, r 30 kg f phsphrus, r 20 kg nitrgen + 30 kg phsphrus in bth uninculated and inculated crp were nt as high. n 1970, inculatin increased the yield f mng crp almst t the same extent. as it did in Phsphrus failed t influence mng yields, nitrgen increased it by 9 per cent and nitrgen and phsphrus tgether raised it t 16 per cent. Nne f these increases, hwever, was significant. n sum, the results as t the effects f inculatin and applied fertilizers were in cnfrmity with thse f Data set frth in Table 2 shw that pd length was nt influenced in the tw seasns by rhizbia inculatin, nr was affected by applied nitrgen arid phsphrus. Similarly, the number f pds n a plant was!0t influenced by any f the treatments in lw rainfall seasn, althugh inculated cntrl plapt had the highest number f pds (9) per plant. Expressin f crp respnse t treatments was smewhat different in gd rainfall seasn f While nitrgen applied alne r in cmbinatin with phsphrus failed t imprve the number f pds/ plant, applicatin f phsphrus reduced it frm 16 fr uninculated cntrl t 12 but increased it t 21 n inculated plant. Thus inculated plant grwn n 30 kg/ha f phsphrus had same number f pds as was present n an inculated cntrl plant. Frm this it seems that inculatin alne integrated the effects f applied nitrgen and phsphrus n grwth and yield f mng crp under rainfed cnditins.

82 : S. D. SNGH Table 2. Effect f rhizbia inculatin n pd n./plant and length/pd f mng crp kg/ha f 1968 1970 Nitrgen Phs- Unin- ncu- Un inculated nculated phrus culated lated Pd n.

4 82 : S. D. SNGH Table 2. Effect f rhizbia inculatin n pd n./plant and length/pd f mng crp kg/ha f Nitrgen Phs- Unin- ncu- Un inculated nculated phrus culated lated Pd n./plant SEm ± 2 LSD (0.05) ns 5 Pd length, SEm ± LSD (0.05) ns s cm nculatin pds/plant. appeared t increase yield mainly thrugh a gain in the number f Figure shws the number and size f ndules/plant. There was a decided tendency fr the inculated plant t bear mre number f ndules than un inculated plant, n all the sampling dates in nitrgen and phsphrus fertilized crp, and nly n the first three. sampling dates in cntrl plt. After attaining the maximum number f ndules (208 ndules/plant) 40 days after swing the inculated plant appears t have sheded its ndules at a faster rate bringing dwn the number t a value lwer than what the uninculated cntrl plant had n the last tw sampling dates. The inculated plant grwn n nitrgen and phsphrus levels with higher ndule numbers n all save ne sampling dates shuld have given yield higher than inculated cntrl. As it did nt s happen, it seems as if the number f ndules n a plant is nt an indicatin f the amunt f nitrgen that culd be fixed and the attendant better grwth f the crp. Hwever, the bservatins that inculated cntrl crp gave the highest yield, thrugh a sizeable gain in the number f pds/plant, and ndules n an inculated cntrl plant were twice as much as n fertilized inculated plant in a stage mid f the grwing seasn, when branches

generalizatin RHZOBA NOCULATON & MOONG YELD: 83 were actively being frmed and flwer primrdia were being laid, may be a reflectin f the fact that ndules n a plant rt system are gd indicatins f the

5 generalizatin RHZOBA NOCULATON & MOONG YELD: 83 were actively being frmed and flwer primrdia were being laid, may be a reflectin f the fact that ndules n a plant rt system are gd indicatins f the amunt f nitrgen being fixed and may have significance frm the standpint f plant grwth. 0 Earlier 0 emanated frm the bulk f wrk n Triflieae and Vicieae that ndulatin increases expnentially with time is nt supprted by the pattern f ndule develpment in trpical species like phaselus (Fig. 1). As ndulatin is influenced by seasnal cnditins and by the grwth pattern f plants, the ndule number may discend at any given time, even n a plant which ndulated abundantly in sme earlier stage. Fr the sam e reasns, the ndules can ascend after a0 dive n a preceding sampling date CONTROL b) 20 K9 N + 30K9 p 40 \J...J :J 030 ẕ ~ " ~O j'.- /.-.-" a,, Z <l...j 0.. ;;; 160 \J...J :J : ~ 80 :!: :J 2 40 ". "" 1\ \ \ \ \.\ \ \ \ \ \ \ / \ ".d " DA''S AFTER SOWNG 0 <> NOCULATED ----<l UNNOCULATE DA''S AFTER SOWNG Fig. 1. Effect f rhizbia inculatin n number f ndules per plant and weightl ndule f mng crp grwn n tw fertility levels,

84 : S. D. SNGH Figure 1 als shws the size f ndule. t was shwn that inculatin increased the size f rt ndules n plants grwn in bth the cntrl and fertilizer applied plts.

6 84 : S. D. SNGH Figure 1 als shws the size f ndule. t was shwn that inculatin increased the size f rt ndules n plants grwn in bth the cntrl and fertilizer applied plts. ncrease was mre cnspicuus in later part f the seasn especially when fertilizer was applied. f the infrmatin emanating frm the investigatins f Richards (1974) that in annuals "the effective ndules are larger than ineffective ndules" is true, ur Fig. 1 shws that ndule ppulatin n inculated plants cnsisted mre f effective ndules. Our figure further shws that the rt system f inculated cntrl plant had larger ndules than n a plant grwn with fertilizers. Against the backdrp f these results it seems that rhizbia inculatin f legume seed will serve useful purpse in sils lw in available nitrg(:n. t wuld nt be necessary t add nitrgenus, als phsphatic, fertilizer even in quantity as small as cnsidered necessary (Wilsn, 1935) t fster plant grwth early in the seasn. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The authr is grateful t the Directr, Central Arid Zne Research nstitute,. Jdhpur fr prviding necessary facilities fr the wrk. REFERENCES Kunelius, H. T Effects f weed cntrl and nitrgen fertilizatin at establishment n the grwth and ndulatin f alfalfa. Agrn. J. 66: Richardsn, D. A., Jrdan, D. C. and Garrard, E. M The influence f cmbined nitrgen n ndulatin and nitrgen fixatin by Rhizbium melilti Dangeard. Canadian J. Plant Sci. 37: Richards, B. N ntrductin t the Sil Ecsystem, ed 1, pp 220, Lngman Grup Limited, Burnt Mill, Harlw, Essex CM 20 2 JE. Wilsn, P. W The carbhydrate-nitrgen relatin in symbitic nitrgen fixatin. Wiscnsin Agr. Exp. Sta. Res. Bull. 129.

DESIGNING FERTILIZER PROGRAMS FOR YOUR TURF. Shawn BcBurney and Paul E. Rieke Department of Crop and Soil Sciences Michigan State University

DESIGNING FERTILIZER PROGRAMS FOR YOUR TURF Shawn BcBurney and Paul E. Rieke Department f Crp and Sil Sciences Michigan State University Planning a fertilizer prgram fr athletic fields, parks, and cemeteries