F IELD RESPONSE OF BAMBARA GROUNDNIIT (Voandzeia...
F IELD RESPONSE OF BAMBARA GROUNDNIIT (Voandzeia subterranea
-- --__-- --~ - - -
(L.) Thouars) TO INOCULATION WITH RHIZOBIUM STRAINS IN SENEGAL
..----.
Mamadou GUEYE > MIRCEN-CNRA ,B.P. 53 , BAMBEY , Senegal
GUE
SUMMARY
-
-
Field response 01' bambara groundnut (Voandzeia subterranea (L.)Thouars)
to inoculation with Rhizobium strains was assessed. In spite the pre-
sente of indigenous infective Rhizobium strains in soil, inoculation
with strains BAM 618 and MAO 11 was found to increase shoot and nodule
dry weights.
INTRODUCTION
-1
Bambara groundnut (Voandzeia subterranea (L.) Thouars) is an underex-
ploited legume. Bambara groundnut is cultivated in small traditional
farms in parts or as an intercrops of cereals.
Taking into account the fact that legume inoculation might serve as an
economical means of increasing yields even in the case of small farms,
research on the flhizobium technology for legume is needed in West Africa.
However, very few studies have been done on nodulation and nitrogen fixa-
tion by bambara groundnut ( DENARIE et a1 .,1968; DOKU,1969; THOMPSON
and DENIS,1977).
This paper reports preliminary observations on the response of field-
grown bambara groundnut in Bambey (Senegal) to inoculation with Rhizobiurt
strains or to nitrogen fertilization.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
-.--~--.----.I_-
The experiment was carried out in 1985 at 13ambey cxperimental station
(rainfall: 376.9 mm). Soi1 characteristics are shown in Table 1. The
indigenous rhizobial poptilation in the field selected for this work is
10 cowpea rhizobia/g of soi1 as determined by plant infection test
using Macroptilium atropurpureum. The
.---
cultivar V2 obta i ned from Togo
was used. Applied treatments were: un inoculated, no N ( urea); uninocu-
lated + 50 kg N (urea)/ha; inoculated with 10 g of six different peat-
base Rhizobium inocula. Four of the inocul a were supplied by the Uni-
versity of Maryla'nd Eastern St~ore: Mungo, BAM 618, PAL 1380 and AH 169;
two of them were supplied by the West Afr ca MIRCEN: MAO 11 and MAO 26.
Randomized block design with four replicates was used. The size of each
?iot wzs 3 and 2.1 m and the plants were spaced by 15 and 30 cm. Appli-
cation of fertilizers was 60 kg P205/ha and 120 kg KCl/ha. Sixty days
after planting, plants were sampled for nodulation, dry weioght and
nitrogen content determination.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Response of bambara groundnut to inoculation with selected Rhizobium
strainsis shown in Table 2. In most tropical soils, very effective
and/or competitive strains may be the major constituents of the native
rhizobial population. In Dior soi1 used for our trial, the native rhi-
zobial population is lacking and the introduction of other strains had
resulted in increase of nitrogen fixation. However, Rhizobium strains
used as inocula varied markedly in ability to promote plant growth, in
shoot nitrogen content and in nodule development. Appreciable responses
to inoculation were obtained in shoot dry weight with strain BAM 618
(increase of 144%), in nodule dry weight with strains Mungo, BAM 618
and MAO 26 (increase of 95%, lOO%, 73% respectively) and in nitrogen
content with strains BAM 618, TAL 1380, MAO 11 and MAO 26 increase of
27%, 3950, 24% and 17% respectively). Increase in total shoot nitrogen
was obtained with strains BAM 618 (+ 209%) and MAO 11 (+135x).
Fromù these results, it is apparent that bambara groundnut cv. V2 re-
quiores an inoculation with suitable Rhizobium strain for adequate no-
dulation and nitrogen fixation in Dior soi1 used.
In conclusion, bambara groundnut may be nodulated with indigenous Rhi-
zobium strains contained in Senegal soils. But in some cases, inocula-
yion with effective Rhizobium strain may contribute to a better nodulatior 1.
Additional experilments wilf have to be carried out for an assessment
of the need for inoculation in many areas.
REFERENCES
DENARIE, J., ANDRIAMANATENA, S. and RAMONJY, J. 1968 L' inoculation des
légumineuses à Mad.agascarRésultats de l'expérimentation . L'Aaronomie
Tropicale (Paris) 23 (9), 925-966.
DOKU, E.V. 1969 Host specificity among five species in the cowpea cross
inoculation group. Plant and Soi1 30, 126-128.
DUNCAN , D.B. 1955 Multiple range and multiple F test. Biometrics 11,
l-42.
KEYA ,S.O., BALASUNDARAM, V.R., SSALI,H., and MUGANE, C. 1982 Multilo-
cational field responses of Phaseolus vulgaris to inoculation in eastern
africa. In Biological Nitrogen Fixation Technology for Tropical Agri-
-
culture, ed. Graham, P.H. and Harris, S.C. pp. 23'1-234. Cali, Colombia:
CIAT.
.
NAMBIAR, P.T.C. 1,985 Responsc of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) to
-~__
Rhizobium inoculation: prohlems and prospects. Mircen J. 1,
-
-
-
293-309.
THOMPSON, E.J. and DENNIS, E.A. 1977 Studies on nodulation and nitrogen
fixation by selected legumes. In Proceedings of the university of Ghana
_-
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Symposium on Grain
Legume in Ghana, IO- 11 December, 1976. Legon, Ghana. Faculty of Agri-
culture, University of Ghana. pp. 85-102.
Table 1. Characteristics of at Bambey experimental station
Total C
2970.00
ppm
Total N
290.00
ivm
Available P
122.00
wm
Clay
4.00
40
Loam
2.00 %
Sand
94.00
40
PH
7.8
.:
;.>. .<
::
il1 r+
.:
l
‘.
c i. i !J ii
I/‘.<
<)’
‘.:
- i:
.
,
‘. . . :.
r
,.
L.
.
,..
,
:,
,
*
:.
-- --__-- --~ - - -
(L.) Thouars) TO INOCULATION WITH RHIZOBIUM STRAINS IN SENEGAL
..----.
Mamadou GUEYE > MIRCEN-CNRA ,B.P. 53 , BAMBEY , Senegal
GUE
SUMMARY
-
-
Field response 01' bambara groundnut (Voandzeia subterranea (L.)Thouars)
to inoculation with Rhizobium strains was assessed. In spite the pre-
sente of indigenous infective Rhizobium strains in soil, inoculation
with strains BAM 618 and MAO 11 was found to increase shoot and nodule
dry weights.
INTRODUCTION
-1
Bambara groundnut (Voandzeia subterranea (L.) Thouars) is an underex-
ploited legume. Bambara groundnut is cultivated in small traditional
farms in parts or as an intercrops of cereals.
Taking into account the fact that legume inoculation might serve as an
economical means of increasing yields even in the case of small farms,
research on the flhizobium technology for legume is needed in West Africa.
However, very few studies have been done on nodulation and nitrogen fixa-
tion by bambara groundnut ( DENARIE et a1 .,1968; DOKU,1969; THOMPSON
and DENIS,1977).
This paper reports preliminary observations on the response of field-
grown bambara groundnut in Bambey (Senegal) to inoculation with Rhizobiurt
strains or to nitrogen fertilization.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
-.--~--.----.I_-
The experiment was carried out in 1985 at 13ambey cxperimental station
(rainfall: 376.9 mm). Soi1 characteristics are shown in Table 1. The
indigenous rhizobial poptilation in the field selected for this work is
10 cowpea rhizobia/g of soi1 as determined by plant infection test
using Macroptilium atropurpureum. The
.---
cultivar V2 obta i ned from Togo
was used. Applied treatments were: un inoculated, no N ( urea); uninocu-
lated + 50 kg N (urea)/ha; inoculated with 10 g of six different peat-
base Rhizobium inocula. Four of the inocul a were supplied by the Uni-
versity of Maryla'nd Eastern St~ore: Mungo, BAM 618, PAL 1380 and AH 169;
two of them were supplied by the West Afr ca MIRCEN: MAO 11 and MAO 26.
Randomized block design with four replicates was used. The size of each
?iot wzs 3 and 2.1 m and the plants were spaced by 15 and 30 cm. Appli-
cation of fertilizers was 60 kg P205/ha and 120 kg KCl/ha. Sixty days
after planting, plants were sampled for nodulation, dry weioght and
nitrogen content determination.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Response of bambara groundnut to inoculation with selected Rhizobium
strainsis shown in Table 2. In most tropical soils, very effective
and/or competitive strains may be the major constituents of the native
rhizobial population. In Dior soi1 used for our trial, the native rhi-
zobial population is lacking and the introduction of other strains had
resulted in increase of nitrogen fixation. However, Rhizobium strains
used as inocula varied markedly in ability to promote plant growth, in
shoot nitrogen content and in nodule development. Appreciable responses
to inoculation were obtained in shoot dry weight with strain BAM 618
(increase of 144%), in nodule dry weight with strains Mungo, BAM 618
and MAO 26 (increase of 95%, lOO%, 73% respectively) and in nitrogen
content with strains BAM 618, TAL 1380, MAO 11 and MAO 26 increase of
27%, 3950, 24% and 17% respectively). Increase in total shoot nitrogen
was obtained with strains BAM 618 (+ 209%) and MAO 11 (+135x).
Fromù these results, it is apparent that bambara groundnut cv. V2 re-
quiores an inoculation with suitable Rhizobium strain for adequate no-
dulation and nitrogen fixation in Dior soi1 used.
In conclusion, bambara groundnut may be nodulated with indigenous Rhi-
zobium strains contained in Senegal soils. But in some cases, inocula-
yion with effective Rhizobium strain may contribute to a better nodulatior 1.
Additional experilments wilf have to be carried out for an assessment
of the need for inoculation in many areas.
REFERENCES
DENARIE, J., ANDRIAMANATENA, S. and RAMONJY, J. 1968 L' inoculation des
légumineuses à Mad.agascarRésultats de l'expérimentation . L'Aaronomie
Tropicale (Paris) 23 (9), 925-966.
DOKU, E.V. 1969 Host specificity among five species in the cowpea cross
inoculation group. Plant and Soi1 30, 126-128.
DUNCAN , D.B. 1955 Multiple range and multiple F test. Biometrics 11,
l-42.
KEYA ,S.O., BALASUNDARAM, V.R., SSALI,H., and MUGANE, C. 1982 Multilo-
cational field responses of Phaseolus vulgaris to inoculation in eastern
africa. In Biological Nitrogen Fixation Technology for Tropical Agri-
-
culture, ed. Graham, P.H. and Harris, S.C. pp. 23'1-234. Cali, Colombia:
CIAT.
.
NAMBIAR, P.T.C. 1,985 Responsc of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) to
-~__
Rhizobium inoculation: prohlems and prospects. Mircen J. 1,
-
-
-
293-309.
THOMPSON, E.J. and DENNIS, E.A. 1977 Studies on nodulation and nitrogen
fixation by selected legumes. In Proceedings of the university of Ghana
_-
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Symposium on Grain
Legume in Ghana, IO- 11 December, 1976. Legon, Ghana. Faculty of Agri-
culture, University of Ghana. pp. 85-102.
Table 1. Characteristics of at Bambey experimental station
Total C
2970.00
ppm
Total N
290.00
ivm
Available P
122.00
wm
Clay
4.00
40
Loam
2.00 %
Sand
94.00
40
PH
7.8
.:
;.>. .<
::
il1 r+
.:
l
‘.
c i. i !J ii
I/‘.<
<)’
‘.:
- i:
.
,
‘. . . :.
r
,.
L.
.
,..
,
:,
,
*
:.