Australia
February 27, 2013

The benefits of inoculating legumes with rhizobia (soil bacteria that fix nitrogen) have been recognised in Australian agriculture for more than 100 years.

Inoculating legumes with rhizobia can achieve substantial increases in legume nodulation, grain and biomass yield, nitrogen fixation and post-crop soil nitrate levels.

Many soils have developed substantial populations of rhizobia that are able to nodulate commonly grown agricultural legumes.

A fact sheet Harvesting the benefits of inoculating legumes, released by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), discusses benefits of inoculation and when to inoculate.

It was included in the January-February edition of the GRDC magazine Ground Cover and can be downloaded from www.grdc.com.au/GRDC-FS-RhizobialInoculants

Key points:

• The benefits of inoculating legumes with rhizobia (soil bacteria that fix nitrogen) have been recognised in Australian agriculture for more than 100 years.
• Inoculation can result in increases in legume nodulation, grain and biomass yield, nitrogen fixation and post-crop soil nitrate levels.
• These gains are highest when the legume is grown in nil-rhizobia or low-rhizobia soil.
• Benefits can be marginal in soils already containing high numbers of compatible rhizobia.
• Legumes have specific requirements for rhizobia: there are 39 different inoculant groups produced commercially in Australia.
• Formulations for inoculants include peat, clay and peat granules, freeze-dried cultures and liquid cultures.
• Inoculant quality is underpinned by commercial in-house testing and the National Code of Practice and Quality Trademark

Website: http://www.grdc.com.au

Published: February 27, 2013