Steve Ruhl, Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent
Tom Weiler, Morrow County Producer
Ed Lentz, District Agronomy Specialist
Phil Rzewnicki, On-Farm Research Coordinator
Newly available inoculants may be able to improve nitrogen production by rhizobia bacteria. This study examined the effect of these new soybean inoculants on yields.
| Nearest Town: | Chesterville | Fertilizer Applied: | 200 lbs of 0-0-60 per acre | ||
| Major Soil Type: | Chili | Herbicides: | 3 oz./acre Canopy - pre-plant | ||
| Drainage: | Random tile | 1 qt. Roundup Ultra + 3 # | |||
| Tillage: | No-till | AMS/Acre - Post | |||
| Previous Crop: | Corn | Plant Population: | 205,400 | ||
| Soil Test: | pH 6.7 | Plant Population | |||
| P 30 ppm | @ Harvest: | 171,000 | |||
| K 123 ppm | Variety: | Stine 3264RR | |||
| Planting Date: | April 25 | ||||
| Harvest Date: | October 1 | ||||
The two products studied were Cell-Tech 2000 and a powdered peat containing a USDA patented strain of Bradyrhizobium japonicum. A third treatment was the absence of an inoculum application. Treatments were replicated three times in a randomized, complete block design. Individual strip plots were 39 feet wide and averaged 1,698 feet in length.
| Treatments | % Moisture | Yield (bu/acre) |
|---|---|---|
| Cell-Tech 2000 | 11.6 | 40.1 |
| No Inoculum | 11.7 | 39.8 |
| USDA (Powdered Peat) | 11.6 | 38.7 |
| F-Test | 0.55 | 0.66 |
| Significance (P = 0.05) | NS | NS |
| CV | 1.2% | 4.0% |
Contrary to many studies completed across the Midwest where these new inoculants have shown an average of 4 to 6 percent increase in yield, we did not find a significant increase. Rainfall was very short at the site in August/September with a total rainfall of only 2.4 inches for the two-month period. Nitrogen availability may not have been the determining factor with the limited moisture situation.
For additional information, contact:
Steve Ruhl
Ohio State University Extension, Morrow County
871 W. Marion Rd., Suite 102
Mt. Gilead, OH 43338
419-947-1070
ruhl.1@osu.edu
This project was funded in part from funds made available from the Ohio Soybean Council.