DEKALB, 11. Inoculating
soybean seed with nitrogen fixing
bacteria used to be considered
cheap insurance for optimum
yields. With today’s economy, cost
conscious farmers are asking if
inoculation is really necessary.
Soybean plants get about half of
the nitrogen they need from
decaying organic material and
residual soil nitrogen. The rest
comes from the air through
symbiotic nitrogen fixation. The
term “symbiotic” refers to a
mutually beneficial relationship
that exists between soybean plants
and bacteria called rhizobia.
Rhizobia form nodules on soybean
roots and derive their energy from
carbohydrates produced by the
soybean plant. In return the
rhizobia fix atmospheric nitrogen
into forms that the plant can use.
Neither the soybeans nor the
rhizobia can fix nitrogen without
the other. For this reason,
inoculating soybean seed with
rhizobia to assure their presence is
a common practice.
Rhizobfa are host-specific. The
species of rhizobia used for
soybeans, Rhizobium japonicum,
is different from those used for
alfalfa or other legume species.
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Is soybean inoculation really necessary?
Thus, the bacterial inoculums used
for various legumes are not in
terchangeable. There are many
strains of Rhizobium japonicum
and commercial inoculums are
usually a mixture of superior ones.
The use of commercial
inoculums has established a
tremendous natural population of
rhizobia in Com Belt soils. These
naturalized rhizobia are well
adapted to existing soil conditions
and persist in the soil for a in
definite period, reproducing on
organic matter. Research
evidence indicates that naturalized
rhizobia vary greatly in their
ability to fix nitrogen; but they are
highly competitive with com
mercial inoculum strains. Thus,
even in fields of commercially
inoculated soybeans, most of the
nodules formed result from the
native soil rhizobia.
While some university research
shows no advantage for soybean
inoculation there are situations
where inoculation may be
beneficial. The following
guidelines may be helpful;
1. Always inoculate when
planting fields where soybeans are
being grown for the first time.
2. Inoculate for insurance on
fields where soybeans have not
been grown in the previous 3 to 5
years. Most research indicates
that nodulation is adequate without
inoculation for even longer
periods.
3. Inoculate on fields where
previously grown soybeans were
poorly nodulated. A well nodulated
plant should have around 100
nodules. The best time to check
nodulation is late July and early
August. Dig a few plants and count
the nodules. Pulling plants will
strip some nodules and give a false
indication of inadequate
nodulation. Effective nodules will
be pinkish-red color inside. Long
periods of dry weather and high
levels of soil nitrogen can reduce
the number of nodules, giving the
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impression that rhizobia
population is inadequate.
4. When inoculum is used, it
should be applied to the seed im
mediately ahead of planting.
Commercial inoculums supply an
insignificant amount of rhizobia
compared to the number already
in soils and they are extremely
sensitive to sunlight, high tem
peratures and severe drying
conditions.
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5. Granular implant inoculums,
applied in the row through in
secticide boxes, supply
significantly more viable rhizobia
than seed-applied inoculums.
However, the cost of these new
implant materials is several
dollars per acre.
Check your soybeans for proper
nodulation. Chances are you can
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Ph: (717) 538-5555