Effect of rhizobial inoculants on yield and yield components of faba bean (Vicia fabae L.) on vertisol of Wereillu District, South Wollo, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background Nitrogen fixation by legumes like faba bean is a cheap way of fixing atmospheric nitrogen to plant available form. However, the inoculation of grain legumes with rhizobium bacteria are poorly researched in Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Methods Thus, a study to examine the effects of rhizobium leguminosarum (var vicae) strains on nodulation, growth, and yield of faba bean was conducted in Wereillu district of Amhara Region, Ethiopia during the rainy season of 2018. The treatments comprised of four levels of faba bean Rhizobium strains (un-inoculated, EAL-1018, EAL-1035 and EAL-17) arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The collected data on yield and yield-related parameters were analyzed using Statistical Analysis System (Statistical Analysis System, version 9.1, SAS Institute Inc, Cary, 2003), version 9.1 and subjected to Duncan’s Multiple Range Test for mean separation when the analysis of variance was significant. Results The result revealed that the effect of EAL-1018 brought significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher difference on nodule number, nodulation volume, nodule dry weight, biomass yield and grain yield compared to the control. Faba bean strain, EAL-1018 gave 45.6, 27 and 11.6% grain yield advantage over the control, EAL1017 and EAL 1035 respectively. Conclusion Biologically as well as Economically EAL 1018 brought the maximum yield and net benefit (47020.7) compared to the other treatments. Hence, EAL-1018 is recommended for the study area and similar agro—ecologies.

Performance of Rhizobial Inoculants on Yield and Yield Components of Faba Bean in Southern Ethiopia

“…[27] reported that inoculation of the Rhizobium strain with faba bean seeds produced highest nodules. Likewise, the results of [26] and [28] confirmed that inoculation of Rhizobium strains in faba beans significantly increased the number of nodules. Desta et al [23] also reported that inoculation of rhizobia from faba bean significantly increases the number of nodules/plant.…”

“…This result is consistent with the finding of [25] who reported that inoculation of bacterial rhizobia strains resulted in significant above ground biomass in faba beans. Gedamu et al also showed that inoculation of rhizobia strains significantly affected the weight of faba bean biomass compared to without treatment inoculate [26]. The difference in biomass yield obtained from inoculation of faba bean is that Rhizobium strains could be due to the additional supply of nitrogen through the remarkable biological nitrogen [26], the rhizobia strain alone could significantly increase the number of pods/plants.…”

Towards inoculant development for Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean (L.) Verdc) pulse crop production in Namibia

“…These findings are similar to previous studies ( Gomoung et al., 2017 ) reporting that inoculation of BGN with rhizobial strains induced a considerable increase in plant length, fresh weight, and dry weight. Additionally, it was noted ( Gedamu et al., 2021 ) that rhizobial inoculants enhance plant dry weight. It was observed that inoculating plants with Bradyrhizobium strain CB756 and (NC-92) peat-based commercial inoculants led to considerably increased dry matter yields in South Africa and northern Punjab, Pakistan, compared to un-inoculated controls ( Latif et al., 2014 ; Chidebe et al., 2018 ).…”

Evaluating Soil Loss for Identification of Land Risk Area in the Kabe Watershed of Ethiopia

“…Te elevation ranges are also based at 1428-2752 m above sea level, with a mean annual rainfall of 1130 mm, while the mean minimum and maximum temperatures of the district are 9 and 21 °C, respectively. Te main types of crops grown are wheat, fenugreek, barley, and tef [37]. Te main economic activity in the study area was agriculture, which depends on rainfall farming.…”