N. Dashti et al., PLANT-GROWTH PROMOTING RHIZOBACTERIA ACCELERATE NODULATION AND INCREASE NITROGEN-FIXATION ACTIVITY BY FIELD-GROWN SOYBEAN [GLYCINE-MAX (L.)MERR.] UNDER SHORT-SEASON CONDITIONS, Plant and soil, 200(2), 1998, pp. 205-213
A 3 x 2 x 2 factorial field experiment, organized in a randomized comp
lete block split-plot with four replications, was conducted in 1994 to
evaluate the effect of two plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR
) strains (Serratia liquefaciens 2-68 or Serratia proteamaculans 1-102
) on nodulation, nitrogen fixation, and total nitrogen yield by two so
ybean cultivars in a short season area. The experiments were conducted
at the Emile A. Lods Research Centre, McGill University, Macdonald Ca
mpus, Montreal, Canada, and performed at two adjacent sites. One site
was fumigated with methyl bromide (50 g m(-2)). Another site was kept
unfumigated. Go-inoculation of soybean with B. japonicum and PGPR incr
eased soybean nodulation and hastened the onset of nitrogen fixation,
when the soils were still cool. Total fixed N, fixed N as a percentage
of total plant N, and protein and N yield were also increased by PGPR
inoculation. AC Braver tended to be more responsive to both PGPR trea
tments for total fixed N and N yields than Maple Glen, suggesting that
inoculation with PGPR was more effective for cultivars with higher yi
eld potentials.