Effect of genotypes-Rhizobium-environment interaction on nodulation and productivity of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Effectiveness of Rhizobium inoculation is determined by common bean genotypes. Environmental factors also affect common bean genotypes-Rhizobium-symbiosis. The effect of common bean genotypes-Rhizobium strains-environment interaction on nodulation and common bean production is not well studied. Three genotypes (Dursitu, Gofta, and Kufanzik) and eight selected isolates of common bean nodulating-rhizobia with N-fertilized and control check were used for field experiments at four locations (Babile, Fedis, Haramaya, and Hirna) to evaluate the effect of genotypes-Rhizobium strains-environment interaction on the nodulation, yield and yield traits of common bean. The treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications.Results: This study revealed that Rhizobium inoculation, the genotypes, environment and their interaction significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected all investigated traits of common bean. Common bean genotypes Rhizobium inoculation and experimental locations significantly affected nodule number (NN) and nodule dry weight (NDW). The highest NN and NDW as compared to the uninoculated control across locations were recorded with the genotype Dursitu in all inoculation treatments. However, the result revealed the lowest mean total biomass (TBY) and grain yield (GY) over locations with the same genotype Dursitu. The highest mean grain yields of 3358.89, 3257.82, 1499.25 and 2204.82 kg ha −1 across the treatments were recorded at Haramaya, Hirna, Babile and Fedis sites, respectively, with the genotype Gofta, thereby implying that there was none specificity between common bean genotypes × locations in the study locations of eastern Ethiopia with tested common bean genotypes. None of the tested isolates produced statistically better NN, NDW, TBY, GY and total plant N accumulation consistently in all locations with all tested common bean genotypes, indicating the presence of Rhizobium strains × location specificity. Conclusion: Therefore, the result showed the need for a specific strain of Rhizobium development for common bean production in different locations.

Rhizobial inoculation improves drought tolerance, biomass and grain yields of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) at Halaba and Boricha in Southern Ethiopia

“…Both in 2015 and 2016, beans the highest or equivalent biomass and grain yields compared to the other inoculants and synthetic N fertilizer. Thus, our result supports the need for location specific rhizobial inoculation, as was previously suggested by Argaw and Muleta (2017), based on their research conducted in eastern Ethiopia.…”

“…In the field, the growth of the inoculated pulses increased significantly compared with the non-inoculated controls. Inoculation gave equal to or higher biomass and yields than those of pulses receiving synthetic N fertilizer depending on the rhizobia strains and field sites, in accordance with previous findings (Solomon et al 2012;Argaw and Muleta 2017).…”

Field Evaluation of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viceae (Rhizobial Strains) Inoculated to Vicia faba L. (faba bean) Cultivars under Nitisol and Chromic Vertisol of Central Highland of Ethiopia

“…Similar results were reported on interaction of varieties and rhizobial strains of faba bean by Roskothen (1989), soybean by Tamiru et al (2012), and pea and lentil by Abi-Ghanem et al (2011). But, our findings were contrary to those of Argaw and Muleta (2017) who reported significant NNPP difference among Rhizobium inoculants, locations, host genotypes and their interaction on common bean.…”

“…Legume yields and nitrogen fixation depends on the genotype of the legume (GL), the genotype of Rhizobium strain (GR) and the interactions of these with the bio-physical environment (E), and management practices (M) expressed as the interaction: (GL×GR)×E×M (Argaw and Muleta, 2017). Response to inoculation, yet is a complex system involving interaction between bacterial genomes, host genomes and the environment.…”

Effects of Nitrogen Application on Nitrogen Fixation in Common Bean Production

“…Positive response to rhizobium inoculation is expected in soils in which the specific rhizobia strains are absent and where indigenous rhizobia are ineffective in nitrogen fixation. However, if abundant native rhizobia strains are present in soils, they would compete with the introduced inoculum to form nodules; moreover, only certain rhizobia strains had the ability to fix nitrogen in specific cultivars (Valverde et al, 2003;Argaw and Muleta, 2017). In this work a commercially available combination of three strains (Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viceae, Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar phaseoli and Bradyrhizobium sp.)…”