DEVELOPMENT OF AN INEXPENSIVE LEGUME-RHIZOBIUM INOCULATION TECHNOLOGYWHICH MAY BE USED IN AERIAL SEEDING

Encapsulation of seeds with alginate entrapped rhizobia (AER) bead has been developed as a new seed-applied inoculum technique for utilizing legume-Rhizobium symbiosis for the management and protection of natur al ecosystems. Alginate beads trapped water and immobilized rhizobia w hich ensured germination of seeds and nodulation of seedlings. Incorpo ration of a synthetic polymer, Jalshakti, in alginate beads did not en hance symbiotic nitrogen fixation but sufficient number of rhizobia re main viable in them even after 30 weeks of storage reflecting suitabil ity of these materials as carriers for rhizobia. Plant cultures raised from these beads were similar to or even better than the inoculated c ontrols in symbiotic parameters indicating the effectiveness of seed-a pplied inoculum technique. Pelleting of seeds with these polymers afte r coating with gum arabic lead to substantial reduction ill symbiotic association and viability of rhizobia. Experiments involving two legum e-Rhizobium associations indicated that the encapsulation of seed with AER bead is a cheap, inexpensive and effective inoculation technique which may be used in aerial seeding.