The Impact of Bio and Mineral Fertilization on Plant Growth and Root Nodulation in Soybean Glycine max (L.) Merr

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of Bradyrhizobium japonicum and phosphate solubilizing fungus in combination with graded levels of chemical fertilizers on growth and root nodulation of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). Treatments comprising of: dual inoculation of soybean seeds with Bradyrhizobium japonicum @ 25 g/kg seed and phosphate solubilizing fungus @ 10 g/kg seed in conjunction with application of recommended dose of chemical fertilizers; dual inoculation with Bradyrhizobium japonicum and phosphate solubilizing fungus in combination with application of 75% of recommended dose of nitrogen and phosphorus and 100% of recommended dose of potash; seed inoculation with phosphate solubilizing fungus in conjunction with recommended dose of fertilizers and; the treatment consisting of seed inoculation with Bradyrhizobium japonicum in conjunction with recommended dose of fertilizers had profound effect on growth and root nodulation in soybean. However, the treatment comprising of dual inoculation of seed with Bradyrhizobium japonicum and phosphate solubilizing fungus in conjunction with application of 75% of recommended dose of nitrogen and phosphorus and 100% of recommended dose of potash was most economical, since it caused 25% savings in nitrogenous and phosphatic fertilizers.