Chris Bruynis, Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent
Objective: To study the effect of a new inoculant on soybean yields in fields currently in a corn/soybean rotation.
Background |
|
| Cooperator:
County: Nearest Town: Major Soil Types: Drainage: Tillage: Previous Crop: Variety: Soil Test: |
Rod Phillips
Wyandot Carey Pewamo, Blount Surface; Partial Tile No-Till Corn Asgrow 2704 pH 6.2 P 42 lbs/ac K 201 lbs/ac |
| Organic Matter:
Fertilizer: Herbicide: Plant Population: Planting Date: Harvest Date: |
2.8%
None Turbo, Canopy, and 2,4-D 225,000/ac May 6, 1999 September 25, 1999 |
A new pre-mixed, humus-based inoculant containing Bradyrhizobium japonicum was applied in a plot using a 15-foot no-till drill. All of the plots containing no inoculant were planted first to avoid contamination of the seed. The inoculant was hand mixed in the seed box, and the inoculant plots were planted. The plots were replicated six times. Each of the plots was 45' x 1,150' in size with 0.75 acres being harvested.
| Treatment | Yield |
| No Inoculum | 46.72 bu/acre a |
| USDA Inoculum | 46.38 bu/acre a |
| lsd (0.05) = 0.73 bu/ac cv=1.06% |
NS |
New soybean inoculant products may be able to improve nitrogen production by increasing the numbers of rhizobia bacteria. The 0.34 bushel/acre difference was not statistically significant in this trial. The lack of response to the inoculant could be due to the shortage of rainfall during the summer. Soil moisture was very limited during most of the growing season. This raises the question about the ability of the rhizobia bacteria to multiply in the dry soil environment.
These results are contrary to many studies completed across the Midwest but consistent with local results from 1998.
The inoculant used in this research was donated by Cory Bils of Bird Hybrids (www.birdhybrids.com). Riele Farms, Pioneer Dealer, Upper Sandusky, provided the weigh wagon.
For more information, contact:
Ohio State University Extension, Wyandot County
109 South Sandusky Ave., Room 16
Upper Sandusky, OH 43351
419-294-4931
bruynis.1@osu.edu